Being here today, in the very heart of the UK’s centre for excellence for submarine design and building, I can clearly see why each and every one of you are rightly proud of the contribution you are making in building the most powerful and advanced attack submarines ever delivered to the Royal Navy. The Royal Navy often say that the Astute class is more sophisticated than the space shuttle and, for this reason alone, I pay tribute to the thousands of skilled people at BAE Systems Submarine Solutions and in the supply chain, as well as in the Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence, who will be involved not just in Anson’s construction journey but who have been and will be involved in the production of the Astute class of submarines as a whole. With advanced stealth technology, the Astute class has been designed to be quieter than any of her predecessors and thus very hard to detect.Ĭonstructing nuclear submarines is one of the most complex projects that our maritime industry, indeed any industry, undertakes. They have an improved capability for world-wide operations, much greater firepower, better communications, and crew accommodation than in-service submarines. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that the Astute class provides a step change in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, protecting our nuclear deterrent, land attack, and intelligence gathering. What many people do not appreciate is that they are perform a wide range of unique and essential military tasks, including global reach and endurance, and conduct unsupported operations in hostile environments whether operating close to the coast or deep in the oceans.
Royal Navy submarines have made, and will continue to make, a vital contribution to the defence of the UK and interests overseas. We are clear that the Royal Navy has a requirement for nuclear powered submarines.
This is a critical milestone ahead of the boat’s planned exit from Barrow early next year. I was also delighted to learn that, the second of the Astute class, Ambush, has successfully completed her first dive in the shipyard’s basin. I am pleased to report that Astute is on track to begin her operational service around the end of 2012. Of course, many of you here today will recall the rather wet and blustery November day in 2009 when the first of class, HMS Astute, sailed from Barrow to begin a programme of extensive and rigorous sea trials and training, which are demonstrating the boat’s capability. Indeed, behind me you can see the great progress being made with ‘Artful’ and ‘Audacious’ as they are welded together, fitted out and tested, and in essence ‘brought to life’. Anson will now join her sister boats, ‘Ambush’, ‘Artful’ and ‘Audacious’ in construction here at Barrow. Last October, we confirmed our commitment to build a class of seven Astute Submarines. It is fitting that we lay the keel for boat 5 of our new attack submarine flotilla as we ourselves continue through a planned course of Defence Reforms. His work transformed our naval power into a global asset, and it laid the foundations for the naval victories of his era and the generation that followed. During Anson’s time in the Admiralty, his reforms reached into every aspect of the navy, from shipbuilding and technological developments, to training and discipline, and command and control. The submarine is the seventh British warship and the first submarine to bear this title, and is being named after the Admiral of the Fleet George Anson, who was one of our greatest First Lords of the Admiralty and noted for his circumnavigation of the globe, as well as his role overseeing the Royal Navy during the 7 Years War. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a great pleasure to be here today to lay the keel of the fifth Astute class submarine, Anson.
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