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HMS Agamemnon is the sixth Astute-class nuclear-powered fleet submarine of the Royal Navy. She is the sixth vessel of the Royal Navy to bear the name, after the legendary Greek king Agamemnon.
Construction[]
On 25 March 2010, BAE Systems were contracted by the government to begin construction on boats 5 and 6 (Anson and Agamemnon), being given a £300 million contract for the "initial build" of boat 5 and "long lead procurement activities" for boat 6.[1] Initial construction work was begun on boat 6 late in 2010.[2]
On September 15, 2011, its name was announced as Agamemnon. The keel was laid on 18 July 2013 by the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, Philip Dunne.[3] On 17 April 2017, a contract for the submarine's completion was signed, with the final construction cost amounting to £1.533 billion.[4]
Agamemnon's electric switchboards were powered up for the first time on 1 October 2020.[5] The vessel was christened on 23 April 2024, with a bottle of beer from the local Ulverston Brewing Company.[6] On 2 October 2024, Agamemnon was rolled out of the build hall and was launched the next day.[7]
Agamemnon's commissioning took place on 22 September 2025, with the commissioning warrant read by King Charles III.[8] The event was also attended by Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey, First Sea Lord, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins and Charles Woodburn, CEO of BAE Systems.[9] In October 2025, the boat completed a 3-day "trim dive" at the shipyard, designed to confirm the integrity of the submarine's pressure hull.[10]
It is expected to take approximately 18 months from commissioning to being fully operational.[11]
Official naming ceremony of HMS Agamemnon
Charles III at commissioning ceremony, 22 September 2025
Design[]
Propulsion[]
Agamemnon's nuclear reactor will not need to be refuelled during the boat's 25-year service. Since the submarine can purify water and air, she will be able to circumnavigate the planet without resurfacing. The submarine's only principal limitation is the vessel’s ability to carry provisions for 98 officers and ratings[Clarification needed] for about three months.
Weapons[]
Agamemnon will have provision for up-to 38 weapons in six 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes.[12] The submarine will be capable of using Tomahawk Block IV land-attack missiles with a range of 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres)[13] and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes.
References[]
- ↑ North West Evening Mail Archived 1 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine. £300 million order to boost shipyard
- ↑ MoD Second Astute Class Submarine Officially Named
- ↑ "Sixth Astute Class submarine keel laid" (in en). 2013-07-18. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sixth-astute-class-submarine-keel-laid.
- ↑ Muczyński, Rafał (2025-09-23). "Royal Navy: Agamemnon in Service, King George VI Under Construction" (in en-US). https://milmag.pl/en/royal-navy-agamemnon-in-service-king-george-vi-under-construction/.
- ↑ Earnshaw, Tom (2020-10-01). "BAE at Barrow takes major step in attack submarine development" (in en). https://www.lancs.live/news/local-news/bae-systems-barrow-takes-major-19029600.
- ↑ Tickell, Pamela (2024-04-22). "Barrow naming ceremony for Navy submarine Agamemnon" (in en-GB). https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0v0q308ln5o.
- ↑ "Hail the Warrior King as submarine HMS Agamemnon is launched". 3 October 2024. https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2024/october/03/20241003-hail-the-warrior-king-as-submarine-hms-agamemnon-is-launched.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedcommissioning - ↑ "In awe of Agamemnon: The King sees Royal Navy's newest submarine commissioned". 2025-09-22. https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2025/september/22/20250922-agamemnon-royal-navy-newest-submarine-commissioned.
- ↑ "HMS Agamemnon successfully completes initial dive". 2025-10-13. https://www.navylookout.com/hms-agamemnon-successfully-completes-intial-dive/.
- ↑ "His Majesty the King marks significant landmarks in Royal Navy submarine construction". 2025-09-22. https://www.navylookout.com/his-majesty-the-king-marks-significant-landmarks-in-royal-navy-submarine-construction/.
- ↑ "Alien submarine breaks technical barriers". BBC News. 7 May 2007. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6625477.stm.
- ↑ "United States Navy Fact File: Tomahawk Land Attack Missile". US Navy. http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=2200&tid=1300&ct=2. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
External links[]
- Royal Navy HMS Agamemnon (royalnavy.mod.uk)
The original article can be found at HMS Agamemnon (S124) and the edit history here.