The Royal Navy's latest nuclear submarine has been launched by the Duchess of Cornwall, almost four years behind schedule. HMS Astute is the first of four new vessels that will be the UK's largest and most powerful attack submarines. Defence minister Lord Drayson called it "a truly remarkable vessel, and her importance cannot be underestimated". The £3.5bn programme was dogged by delays and budget overruns, with the government putting in an extra £450m.
Astute was launched at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow, Cumbria, which employs about 3,000 people. Dockyard workers, schoolchildren, naval personnel, VIP guests and navy top brass were among the 10,000 visitors who cheered as Camilla launched Astute with a bottle of beer brewed by her crew. "As an Admiral's wife myself, I am delighted to be in Barrow-in-Furness today for the naming and launching of Astute," she said. BAE Systems says the project is more technologically complex than the space shuttle.
Each of the four new Astute Class vessels will weigh 7,800 metric tons - equivalent to 1,000 double-decker buses - and be almost 100 metres (328ft) long. The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, described them as "immensely powerful". He said: "They will form a key part of our future programme, giving the Royal Navy the versatility and technical excellence needed to operate successfully across the globe in decades to come."
The government signed the Astute contract in 1997 but the first hull sections were not laid until 2001. Astute will become HMS Astute when it enters service in 2009. She will create her own oxygen and fresh water from seawater and will be armed with Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of hitting a target 2,000km inland. Along with the three other Astute Class vessels - Ambush, Artful and Audacious - she will be commissioned for 25 years.
It is the first time that the Duchess of Cornwall has launched a vessel. She was presented with a retriever puppy, as a retriever is on Astute's crest. The puppy will be donated as a guide dog for the blind. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6733777.stm
Astute was launched at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow, Cumbria, which employs about 3,000 people. Dockyard workers, schoolchildren, naval personnel, VIP guests and navy top brass were among the 10,000 visitors who cheered as Camilla launched Astute with a bottle of beer brewed by her crew. "As an Admiral's wife myself, I am delighted to be in Barrow-in-Furness today for the naming and launching of Astute," she said. BAE Systems says the project is more technologically complex than the space shuttle.
Each of the four new Astute Class vessels will weigh 7,800 metric tons - equivalent to 1,000 double-decker buses - and be almost 100 metres (328ft) long. The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, described them as "immensely powerful". He said: "They will form a key part of our future programme, giving the Royal Navy the versatility and technical excellence needed to operate successfully across the globe in decades to come."
The government signed the Astute contract in 1997 but the first hull sections were not laid until 2001. Astute will become HMS Astute when it enters service in 2009. She will create her own oxygen and fresh water from seawater and will be armed with Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of hitting a target 2,000km inland. Along with the three other Astute Class vessels - Ambush, Artful and Audacious - she will be commissioned for 25 years.
It is the first time that the Duchess of Cornwall has launched a vessel. She was presented with a retriever puppy, as a retriever is on Astute's crest. The puppy will be donated as a guide dog for the blind. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6733777.stm
