HMS Audacious (S122)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Audacious.
Audacious under construction in Barrow-in-Furness in July 2013
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Audacious
Ordered: May 2007
Builder: BAE Systems Submarine Solutions
Cost: £1,492m (budget)[1]
Laid down: 24 March 2009
In service: 2018 (planned)[2]
Identification: Pennant number: S122
Status: Under construction
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type: Astute-class fleet submarine
Displacement:
  • Surfaced: 7,000 to 7,400 t (7,300 long tons; 8,200 short tons)[3][4]
  • Submerged: 7,400 to 7,800 t (7,700 long tons; 8,600 short tons)[3][4]
Length: 97 m (318 ft 3 in)[3][4]
Beam: 11.3 m (37 ft 1 in)[3][4]
Draught: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)[3][4]
Propulsion: Rolls-Royce PWR 2 reactor, MTU 600 kilowatt diesel generators
Speed: 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph), submerged[3][4]
Range: Unlimited[5]
Endurance: 90 days[5]
Test depth: Over 300 m (984 ft 3 in)
Complement: 98 (capacity for 109)[3]
Sensors and
processing systems:
Armament:

HMS Audacious is the fourth Astute-class nuclear-powered fleet submarine of the Royal Navy.[7] Several previous vessels of the Royal Navy have borne the name. She is due to be launched in late 2016.

Design

Propulsion

Audacious's nuclear reactor will not need to be refuelled during the boat's 25-year service. The submarine can purify water and air, and will be able to circumnavigate the planet without surfacing. However, she will only carry three months' supply of food for 98 officers and ratings.

Weapons

Audacious will have provision for up-to 38 weapons in six 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes.[8] The submarine will be capable of using Tomahawk Block IV land-attack missiles with a range of 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres)[9] and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes.

History

Long lead items for her construction were ordered on 28 August 2006 [10] although the actual order was not placed until 21 May 2007.[11] Launch is expected in the fourth quarter of 2016, and the submarine should leave the yard in 2017.[12] The original budget was £1,279m but by 2015 this had risen to £1,492m.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Ministry of Defence Major Projects Report 2015 and the Equipment Plan 2015 to 2025" (pdf). National Audit Office. 22 October 2015. p. 43.
  2. ↑ "House of Commons Written Answers c45W". UK Parliament. 3 September 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bush, Steve (2014). British Warships and Auxiliaries. Maritime Books. pp. 10–11. ISBN 1904459552.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Astute-class attack submarines". royalnavy.mod.uk. Royal Navy. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  5. 1 2 "BAE Systems - Astute class submarines". baesystems.com. BAE Systems. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "UK's most powerful submarine joins the Navy". Ministry of Defence. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  7. ↑ BAE Systems News, 10 December 2012
  8. ↑ "Alien submarine breaks technical barriers". BBC News. 7 May 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  9. ↑ "United States Navy Fact File: Tomahawk Land Attack Missile". navy.mil. US Navy. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  10. ↑ "New nuclear sub is lifeline for Barrow". BBC News Online. 2006-08-28. Retrieved 2007-03-09.
  11. ↑ "Royal Navy to Get New Attack Submarine". Royal Navy. 2007-05-21. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
  12. ↑ Andrew Chuter (14 August 2015). "UK's 3rd Astute-class Sub Begins Sea Trials". Defensenews.com. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
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