MERGED: HMS Astute launch
 

Would anybody from the south east of Great Britain who is going to be in Barrow on Friday pm me asap please.

It would appear that I am going to be the only one there then!!

Would love to be there, but due to the exorberant transport prices in the UK, plus the fact I'm working, I won't be :cry:

Take lots of good pics for us!! :up: Oh, and give her a test drive, so you can let Sonalysts know how she handles so they can put her in DW ;)

i think you will find once its launched it will be heading straight into dry dock

Yeah, I should imagine there's still a lot left to be fitted internally wise. Still, be good to see the hull in the water, however briefly. :D

No doubt...still at least 18 months away from entering service :yep:

same with the type of 45's on launch, launch gets them wet then its off to another dock to be finished.

Any pics to share?

I remember getting the day off to watch Triumph getting launched when I worked at Barrow, it was the first submarine syncrolift launch in the UK. There were snags so after a couple of hours it'd been lowered about 6 feet and I went to the pub, but it's an impressive thing to see if it goes properly. Enjoy yourself and watch out for the Barrow ladies ;)

I got back late last night from the launch of HMS Astute.Only 700 miles and 12 hours of rail travel to do the journey.
I will post some pictures soon.

looking forward to em matey :up:

Driving a Nuclear Submarine Through Britain's Roads
 

http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/06/1-1.jpg

Remember that Astute-class nuclear submarine that looked like a whale? Well, scrap that, because it really looks like a Calamari Cruiser or a Zentraedi mothership. At least, that's what people must be thinking while they watch it travelling through the roads of Britain mounted on a gigantastic moving platform.


Source: http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/alien-invasion/driving-a-nuclear-submarine-through-britains-roads-267230.php

UK launch a new monster sub with beer!
 

New UK nuclear submarine launched

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/image..._getty203b.jpg The Duchess of Cornwall launched Astute with a bottle of beer

The Royal Navy's latest nuclear submarine has been launched by the Duchess of Cornwall, almost four years behind schedule. HMS Astute is the first of four new vessels that will be the UK's largest and most powerful attack submarines.
Defence minister Lord Drayson called it "a truly remarkable vessel, and her importance cannot be underestimated".
The £3.5bn programme was dogged by delays and budget overruns, with the government putting in an extra £450m.
'Immensely powerful'
Astute was launched at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow, Cumbria, which employs about 3,000 people.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif ASTUTE FACTS AND FIGURES
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/image...sub_203152.gif
Size: 97m (318ft) long, 11.2m (36.7ft) wide, 7,400 metric tonnes (8,157 tons) - 25% heavier and 30% longer than Trafalgar class
Firepower: Six Spearfish torpedo tubes, 38 Tomahawk cruise missiles
Top speed underwater: Undisclosed, but Royal Navy says above 20 knots
Maximum diving depth Undisclosed, but Royal Navy says more than 150m (492ft)
Number of crew: 98 compared with 115 on Trafalgar, with better facilities
Latest technology: Two masts carrying thermal imaging and low-light cameras replace periscope; images can be captured and transmitted to other fleets; advanced sonar
Fuel: Complex pressurised water reactor powers submarine for full service life
Other vessels in class: Ambush, Artful, Audacious


Detailed image of the Astute submarine - (Bae Systems) [2.01MB]

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Dockyard workers, schoolchildren, naval personnel, VIP guests and navy top brass were among the 10,000 visitors who cheered as Camilla launched Astute with a bottle of beer brewed by her crew.
"As an Admiral's wife myself, I am delighted to be in Barrow-in-Furness today for the naming and launching of Astute," she said.
Ron Jones, 58, from the Wirral, is a draughtsman for BAE Systems who was at the launch.
He said: "It's a proud moment when you see it rolling out. I was only a small cog in building it, but you still feel part of it."
Also attending the launch was Carol Jones, 59, also from the Wirral, who said: "It's a fantastic piece of engineering, a national achievement, but I think it looks quite frightening, all in black."
Self-sufficient
BAE Systems says the project is more technologically complex than the space shuttle.
Each of the four new Astute Class vessels will weigh 7,800 metric tons - equivalent to 1,000 double-decker buses - and be almost 100 metres (328ft) long.
The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, described them as "immensely powerful".
He said: "They will form a key part of our future programme, giving the Royal Navy the versatility and technical excellence needed to operate successfully across the globe in decades to come."
The government signed the Astute contract in 1997 but the first hull sections were not laid until 2001.
Astute will become HMS Astute when it enters service in 2009.
She will create her own oxygen and fresh water from seawater and will be armed with Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of hitting a target 2,000km inland.
Along with the three other Astute Class vessels - Ambush, Artful and Audacious - she will be commissioned for 25 years.
It is the first time that the Duchess of Cornwall has launched a vessel.
She was presented with a retriever puppy, as a retriever is on Astute's crest. The puppy will be donated as a guide dog for the blind.

1) wrong forum
2) already posted

Well at least he took the time to post it :up: Thanks mate

Still isnt as big as typhoon though ;)