It will support special operations. HMS Agamemnon launched
HMS Agamemnon is the Royal Navy’s newest Astute-class nuclear submarine. It was officially launched on October 3, 2024 at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness. It weighs 7,400 tons, is 97 meters long and is the sixth of seven ships in this class, designed and built to increase the combat capabilities of the British submarine fleet in the 21st century.
The ship was named after Agamemnon, the legendary Greek king who commanded the Greek forces during the siege of Troy.
England. Launch of HMS Agamemnon. It will support special operations
HMS Agamemnon is a multi-task unit, but its most important role will be as an element of nuclear deterrence. The ship will also conduct intelligence operations, support special forces missions and conduct precision attacks on land targets using Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of up to 1,000 nautical miles.
Agamemnon has six torpedo tubes capable of firing up to 38 missiles, including heavy Spearfish torpedoes, designed to destroy enemy submarines and surface ships. One of the key advantages of HMS Agamemnon is its nuclear drive, based on the Rolls-Royce PWR2 reactor.
HMS Agamemnon will spend up to 3 months underwater
Thanks to it, the ship can operate without the need to refuel throughout its 25-year operational period. Additionally, systems that produce its own water and purify the air allow the ship to remain underwater for 90 days, limiting the need to surface only to replenish food supplies for the 98-person crew.
Class ships Astuteincluding HMS Agamemnonare equipped with state-of-the-art detection and navigation systems, such as the Thales 2076 sonar and Thales optoelectronic masts, which replace traditional periscopes, increasing the ship’s ability to detect threats while maintaining operational secrecy.
Steve Timms, managing director of BAE Systems Submarines, emphasized the importance of launching the HMS Agamemnonas an important step for the British submarine building program. He drew attention to the complex nature of this project, which involves thousands of highly qualified specialists from various sectors.
Commander AgamemnonCommander David “Bing” Crosby, expressed his pride in the achievements of the crew and engineering team, while pointing out that the ship still faces numerous tests before it joins the Royal Navy fleet.
HMS Agamemnon is the sixth ship of the class Astute in service with the Royal Navy. Its predecessors were HMS AstuteH.M.S AmbushH.M.S ArtfulH.M.S Audacious and H.M.S Ansonwhich are already in service in the fleet. Construction of the last ship of this class, HMS Agincourtis in progress.
All these units replace the class of submarines Trafalgarproviding the Royal Navy with modern tools to conduct operations in difficult underwater environments.
It is expected that H.M.S Agamemnon will play a vital role in Royal Navy operations for at least several decades.
