25.09.

2017 Astute-class submarine - Wikipedia

Astute-class submarine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Astute class is the latest class of nuclear-powered fleet

submarines (SSNs) in service with the Royal Navy.[3] The
class sets a new standard for the Royal Navy in terms of
weapons load, communication facilities and stealth. The
boats are being constructed by BAE Systems Maritime Astute-class SSN profile
Submarines at Barrow-in-Furness.[6] Seven boats will be
constructed: the first of class, Astute, was launched by
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in 2007,[7] commissioned in
2010, and declared fully operational in May 2014.[3] The
Astute class is the replacement for the Trafalgar-class fleet
submarines in Royal Navy service.[3]

Contents
1 Development
1.1 Batch 2 Trafalgar class
1.2 Astute programme HMS Ambush in 2012
1.3 Construction, cost overruns and delays
1.4 Programme cost summary Class overview
2 Characteristics
Name: Astute class
2.1 Weapons and systems
2.2 Propulsion and general specifications Builders: BAE Systems Maritime
2.3 Top speed issue Submarines, Barrow-in-Furness
3 Accidents
Operators: Royal Navy
4 Boats of the class
4.1 In fiction Preceded by: Trafalgar class
5 See also Cost: Over 1,370M per boat (2015
6 References
est.)[1]
7 External links
Built: 2001present
In commission: 2010present
Development Building: 4
Planned: 7
Batch 2 Trafalgar class
Completed: 3
The Astute-class programme began in the 1980s when the Active: 3
Ministry of Defence (MOD) launched a number of studies
General characteristics
intended to determine the capabilities and requirements for
the replacement of its Swiftsure and Trafalgar-class fleet Type: Nuclear-powered fleet submarine
submarines.[8] These studies, called project SSN20, were
Displacement: Surfaced: 7,000 to 7,400 t
conducted during the Cold War, when the Royal Navy
(7,300 long tons; 8,200
maintained a strong emphasis on anti-submarine warfare to
counter increasingly more capable Soviet submarines. To short tons)[2][3]
match this growing threat, the studies concluded that project Submerged: 7,400 to 7,800 t
SSN20 should be a revolutionary design, with significantly (7,700 long tons; 8,600
enhanced nuclear propulsion and firepower, and a more short tons)[2][3]
sophisticated "integrated sonar suite" and combat Length: 97 m (318 ft 3 in)[2][3]
systems.[8] Similarly, the United States Navy, which was
Beam: 11.3 m (37 ft 1 in)[2][3]

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facing the same threats, went on to design and build the Draught: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)[2][3]
Seawolf class . The estimated costs of project SSN20, Propulsion: Rolls-Royce PWR 2 reactor, MTU
although great, were not considered a "constraint".[8]
600 kilowatt diesel generators
However by 1990, the Berlin wall collapsed and the Cold Speed: 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph),
War came to an end. Project SSN20 was promptly cancelled submerged[2][3]
and a new set of design studies were started, this time, with
Range: Unlimited[4]
"cost control" as a key objective.[8] The Trafalgar class had
been an evolved derivative of the preceding Swiftsure class, Endurance: 90 days[4]
thus, in order to reduce cost and technical risk, it was Test depth: Over 300 m (984 ft 3 in)
concluded that this new class of fleet submarine should
Complement: 98 (capacity for 109)[2]
"build upon" the Trafalgar design. This became known as
the Batch 2 Trafalgar class (B2TC), with approval for the Sensors and Thales Sonar 2076
studies phase given in June 1991.[8] While the philosophy processing Atlas DESO 25 echosounder
behind B2TC was that of a modern and improved Trafalgar, systems: 2 Thales CM010 optronic
early design concepts of B2TC were also heavily influenced masts
by the then under construction Vanguard class , in Raytheon Successor IFF
particular, its nuclear steam raising plant (NSRP).[8]
Armament: 6 21 in (533 mm) torpedo
tubes with stowage for up
Astute programme
to 38 weapons:[5]
Following two years of a studies phase on B2TC, the MOD Tomahawk Block IV
decided to put the contract out to tender. A draft invitation cruise missiles
to tender was announced in October 1993[8] and a final Spearfish
invitation to tender in July 1994.[8][9] The final invitation to heavyweight
tender involved a formal competition between GEC- torpedoes
Marconi/BMT Limited[8] and VSEL/Rolls-Royce,[8] with
bids to be submitted in June 1995. GEC-Marconi and BMT had little experience with British submarine
designs, whereas VSEL and Rolls-Royce were heavily involved in both British nuclear submarine design and
construction. For example, VSEL was the owner of the Barrow shipyard, the only shipyard capable of building
nuclear submarines in the United Kingdom.[8]

During the assessment phase of the bids put forward by both teams, the MOD favoured the GEC-Marconi/BMT
design on both cost and capability grounds.[8] The bid put forward by VSEL/Rolls-Royce was less attractive
and considered "an expensive and dull design."[8] In June 1995, VSEL was subject to a takeover by GEC-
Marconi, and with it, the Barrow shipyard. In December of the same year, the MOD announced that GEC-
Marconi was the preferred bidder. The bid put forward by GEC-Marconi included the innovative use of 3D
CAD software and modular construction techniques. Although the MOD had awarded the contract to GEC-
Marconi, partly due to its competitive cost, it was still considered too high for the MOD to sign off on.[8] The
MOD and GEC-Marconi negotiated on a new price for the contract, amounting to 2.4 billion for the first three
Astute submarines, plus in service support. The contract was signed on 14 March 1997, for what was now
called the Astute programme, with a fixed maximum price, and any cost overruns being assumed by GEC-
Marconi, the contractor.[8]

Although B2TC was intended to be a modest improvement over the Trafalgar class, it was not to be the case
for Astute. With the signing of the contract in March 1997, GEC-Marconi started work on developing a
complete and comprehensive design for the Astute programme.[8] Initial realisation was that the size of the
Rolls-Royce PWR2 required a much larger boat (width and length) and significantly improved acoustic
quieting. A new understanding was reached between the MOD and GEC-Marconi that this would be an entirely
new class, and far more complex than originally envisioned.[8]

Construction, cost overruns and delays

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In November 1999, British Aerospace bought out GEC-Marconi and

The Astute class are built at the
Devonshire Dock Hall, Barrow-in-
Furness
created BAE Systems. At the time of the takeover, it had been
approximately 20 years since the Vanguard class were designed, and the
last of the boats had already been launched.[8] The work force at the
Barrow shipyard had fallen from around 13,000, to 3,000. Key skills in
design and engineering had been lost, predominantly through retirement
or movement into other careers.[8] This created significant delays and
challenges in getting the Astute programme from design phase and into
construction phase. Further delays and cost increases were also caused
by the 3D CAD software,[10] despite originally being touted as an
innovative cost saving measure, by greatly reducing man-hours.[8]
However, one of the reasons for this was a lack of experienced
designers able to use the software and its expanded tools.[8]

Despite numerous difficulties, including incomplete design drawings,

the first boat, Astute, was laid down on 31 January 2001. As planned,
modular construction methods were used, with the boat being built in
several ring-like modules, each up to several metres in length.[11] These
were welded together using specially designed high-strength steel,[12]
and then fitted out. From boat 2 onward however, vertical outfitting has
been used, whereby the ring-like sections are "stood up on their
ends."[13] This has better enabled the fitting of large and heavy
equipment, and has also proved to be more efficient, with reportedly
"thousands of man-hours saved".[13]

By 2002 both BAE and the MOD recognised they had underestimated
the technical challenges and costs of the programme.[8] In August 2002
the programme was estimated to be over three years late and hundreds Astute on the shiplift after her launch
[8] ceremony
of millions of pounds over budget. BAE Systems issued a profit
warning on 11 December 2002 as a result of the cost overruns and
delays.[14] BAE Systems and the MOD subsequently renegotiated the
contract, with an understanding that the MOD had to share some of the financial risks.[8] In December 2003 the
contract modifications were signed, with the MOD agreeing to add another 430 million to the programme and
BAE Systems assuming 250 million of the cost overruns.[9] The MOD also enlisted the advice and expertise
of General Dynamics Electric Boat through a U.S. Navy contract.[15][16] Eventually, a General Dynamics
Electric Boat employee became the Astute Project Director at Barrow.[8]

Input from General Dynamics helped resolve many of the software

issues associated with 3D CAD;[8] General Dynamics were also
responsible for the introduction of vertical outfitting and other
construction techniques. Consequently, much rework was needed on
Astute now that detailed designs were complete.[8] On 8 June 2007
Astute was launched and boats 2 and 3 (Ambush and Artful) were at
various stages of construction. A month previously, procurement for
boat 4 (Audacious) had been agreed.[8] Boats 5 and 6 (Anson and
Agamemnon) were approved in March 2010.[8] In June 2012 the order Audacious under construction
was placed for the manufacture of the nuclear reactor for boat 7 (Ajax),
production of the first nuclear reactor for the Dreadnought-
class submarine was also ordered.[17] A 1.4 billion pounds order to construct Agamemnon was issued by the
MOD to BAE Systems on 19 April 2017.[18][19]

In November 2009, a House of Commons Defence Select Committee found that delays due to technical and
programme issues brought the Astute class to a position of being 57 months late and 53 per cent (or 1.35
billion) over-budget, with a forecast cost of 3.9 billion for the first three boats.[20]
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Programme cost summary

National Audit Office: Major Projects Report 2015[1]

Expected cost to completion at approval Current forecast cost to completion Change

Boats 13 2,233 million 3,536 million

Boat 4 1,279 million 1,492 million

Boat 5 1,464 million 1,420 million

Boat 6 1,579 million 1,533 million

Boat 7 1,642 million 1,640 million

Characteristics
Weapons and systems

The Astute class has stowage for 38 weapons and would typically carry
a mix of Spearfish heavy torpedoes and Tomahawk Block IV cruise
missiles, the latter costing 870,000 each.[21] The Tomahawk missiles
are capable of hitting a target to within a few metres, to a range of 1,000
miles (1,600 kilometres).[22] The Astute Combat Management System
is a new version of the Submarine Command System used on other
classes of British submarine. The system receives data from the boat's
sensors and displays the results on command consoles. The submarines
also have Atlas Hydrographic DESO 25 high-precision echosounders,
two CM010 non-hull-penetrating optronic mastsin place of
conventional periscopeswhich carry thermal imaging and low-light
TV and colour CCD TV sensors.[23] The class also mounts an
Successor IFF system.

For detecting enemy ships and submarines, the Astute class are
equipped with the sophisticated Sonar 2076, an integrated Astute firing a Tomahawk Block IV
passive/active search and attack sonar suite with bow, intercept, flank cruise missile
and towed arrays. BAE claims that the 2076 is the world's best sonar
system.[24] All of the Astute-class submarines will be fitted with the
advanced Common Combat System.[25]

Propulsion and general specifications

The boats of the Astute class are powered by a Rolls-Royce PWR2 (Core H) (a pressurised water reactor) and
fitted with a pump-jet propulsor. The PWR2 reactor was developed for the Vanguard-class ballistic missile
submarines and has a 25-year lifespan without the need for refuelling.[4] As a result, the new submarines are
about 30 per cent larger than previous British fleet submarines, which were powered by smaller-diameter
reactors. Like all Royal Navy submarines, the bridge fin of the Astute-class boats is specially reinforced to
allow surfacing through ice caps. These submarines can also be fitted with a dry deck shelter, which allows
special forces (e.g. SBS) to deploy whilst the submarine is submerged.[26] More than 39,000 acoustic tiles mask
the vessel's sonar signature, giving the Astute class improved acoustic qualities over any other submarine
previously operated by the Royal Navy.[27]

A 2009 safety assessment by the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator concluded that PWR2 reactor safety was
significantly short of good practice in comparable navies in two important areas: loss-of-coolant accident and
control of submarine depth following emergency reactor shutdown.[28][29][30] The regulator concluded that

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PWR2 was "potentially vulnerable to a structural failure of the primary circuit", which is a failure mode with
significant safety hazards to crew and the public.[31] Operational procedures have been amended to minimise
these risks.[32]

Astute is the second Royal Navy submarine class, after the Vanguard class, to have a bunk for each member of
the ship's company,[33] ending the practice of 'hot bunking', whereby two sailors on opposite watches shared the
same bunk at different times. However, they have less mess-deck space than the Valiant-class submarine built
45 years earlier.[34][35]

Top speed issue

The Astute class are designed to achieve a top speed of 2930 knots (5456 km/h), but it was reported in 2012
that this speed could not be reached in trials due to a mismatch between the reactor and the turbine.[36][37]
However, in January 2015, the National Audit Office confirmed that demonstration of the top speed
requirement (or Key Performance Measure (KPM)) for the Astute class was successful.[38][39]

Accidents
On 22 October 2010, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that Astute had "run into difficulties" off the Isle
of Skye while on trials, after eyewitnesses reported the submarine had run aground a few miles from the
Skye Bridge. There were no reports of injuries.[40]
On 20 July 2016, Ambush sustained damage to the top of her conning tower during a collision with a
merchant ship while surfacing on an exercise in Gibraltarian waters.[41] It was reported that no crew
members were injured during the collision and that the submarine's nuclear reactor section remained
completely undamaged.[42][43][44]

Boats of the class

In 2012, during the joint exercise Fellowship, Astute performed
simulated battles with the latest United States Navy Virginia-
class submarine , USS New Mexico. It was reported that the Americans
were "taken aback" by Astute's capabilities. Royal Navy Commander
Iain Breckenridge was quoted, "Our sonar is fantastic and I have never
before experienced holding a submarine at the range we were holding
USS New Mexico. The Americans were utterly taken aback, blown
away with what they were seeing".[45][46]

The names Astute, Ambush and Artful were last given to Amphion-class The UK First Sea Lord, Admiral
submarines that entered service towards the end of World War II. Stanhope (left), and US Chief of Naval
Operations, Admiral Jonathan Greenert
(centre), are briefed by the CO (right)
on the capabilities of Astute during the
joint exercise Fellowship 2012 between
Astute and New Mexico

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Pennant Laid
Name Builder Launched Commissioned Status
No. down

31
8 June 27 August In active
Astute S119 January
2007[47] 2010[48] service
2001

22
6 January 1 March In active
Ambush S120 October
2011[49] 2013[50] service
2003

11 March 17 May 18 March 2016 In active

Artful S121
2005 2014[51] [52] service
BAE Systems Maritime 28 April Expected
24 March Testing and
Audacious S122 Submarines, Barrow-in-Furness
2009 2017[53] 2018[54] Fitting Out

13
Expected Under
Anson S123 October
2020[54] construction[55]
2011

18 July Expected Under

Agamemnon S124
2013 2022[54] construction[56]

Expected Confirmed,
Ajax S125
2024[54] steel cut[57]

In fiction

Season two of the American television series The Last Ship features a fictional Astute-class submarine named
HMS Achilles as the primary antagonist.

See also
List of submarines of the Royal Navy
List of submarine classes of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy Submarine Service
Future of the Royal Navy
Cruise missile submarine
Attack submarine

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External links
Royal Navy Submarine Service (http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/our-organisation/the-fighting-arms/subma
rine-service#fleet-submarines) (royalnavy.mod.uk)
How to Build A Nuclear Submarine (Full) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ODDjsK0BOg) on
YouTubeA documentary about the construction of an Astute class submarine by the BBC. Summary (h
ttp://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00syt1w) available on the BBC's website.

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