Royal Navy: Powerful nuclear attack submarine HMS Astute to be upgraded and revamped during maintenance period
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A devastating nuclear attack submarine is going to be upgraded as part of a multi-million pounds revamp.
HMS Astute will be going into a maintenance period after 15 years of continuous service around the world. She is the first of the Astute-class vessels to go through her Mid Life Re-Validation Period (MLRP).
Engineers at the Babcock facility in Devonport will be carrying out the enhancements. HMS Astute recently joined HMS Prince of Wales and the UK Carrier Strike Group, playing a small part in Operation Highmast as the military formation sailed to the Mediterranean and beyond.
Much of the submariners’ operations are out of sight and rarely publicised, but their work is essential for protecting British waters. The last act before the submarine sailed for her maintenance period. Crew members took friends, families and VIP guests to sea, offering them a snippet of life onboard a submarine.
Commanding Officer Commander Christopher Bate said: “This snapshot was a small token from the ship’s company to celebrate and thank friends and families for the support and sacrifices made while HMS Astute had been away and on operations and show them some of the differences that life on a nuclear submarine holds.”
During the first part of her career, HMS Astute was first A-boat to visit Australia - supporting HMS Queen Elizabeth’s carrier strike group deployment with AUKUS allies in the USA and Canberra. She was also the first of her class to sail through the Suez Canal and to visit America, conducting extensive weapons and sonar trials.
The Royal Navy is pushing to expand the nuclear submarine fleet. HMS Agamemnon is due to be commissioned this autumn, and construction work to build HMS Achilles is continuing. The former sailed for the first time in October last year. Billions of pounds have been set aside in the Strategic Defence Review to procure 12 new nuclear submarines.