The Royal Navy’s latest Astute Class submarine has been officially named at BAE Systems’ Submarines site in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Agamemnon - named after the ancient Greek king - is the sixth of seven Astute submarines being built by the company. She is due to be launched later this year, ahead of being commissioned into the Royal Navy.
The ceremony was attended by the Minister for Defence Procurement and included an address by the boat's Lady Sponsor, Lady SJ Sedwill, the wife of former UK National Security Adviser Lord Mark Sedwill. Agamemnon was then blessed and christened, with a bottle of beer from the local Ulverston Brewing Company smashed against her hull.
Five Astute Class submarines (Astute, Ambush, Artful, Audacious, and Anson) are already in service, while work is also well under way in Barrow on the seventh and final boat, Agincourt.
The UK government, through the Ministry of Defence, are investing with BAE Systems to expand the Barrow shipyard in preparation for future projects. In addition to the Astute Class, construction is underway on the first three boats in the Dreadnought Class, which is the next generation of nuclear deterrent submarines that will replace the current Vanguard Class.
BAE Systems is also developing the SSN-AUKUS programme, as part of the trilateral security pact between Australia, the UK and the US. Under the AUKUS agreement, Australia and the UK will operate a common submarine that incorporates technology from all three nations, based on the UK’s design.