HMS Astute Launched

Very cool, if not odd looking, sub.

The guys who designed the BAE website should be taken to a gulag and get “re-educated” on proper web page design.

Well, I guess it comes down to are the Astutes and Virgina Class SSN’s superior to any SSK’s now afloat?

I thought this was a naval aviation forum?

I guess subs “fly” through the water? :confused:

Nice pics though….

There’s got to be a development proposal in there somewhere…

It was tongue in cheek.

Sorry. :rolleyes:

I thought this was a naval aviation forum?

I guess subs “fly” through the water? :confused:

Nice pics though….

Dont start that or they will kill this forum again and like the army aviation one it may never return.:eek: 🙁 😡

I thought this was a naval aviation forum?

I guess subs “fly” through the water? :confused:

Nice pics though….

Things are not going so well with the commissioning. 🙁

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=534870

If its a serious as implied the whole engine may have to be removed and they are not small on a vessel of this size.

In terms of weapons load out yes, in terms of noise reduction and sensor fit…….. well if you know that you are probably being hunted by the FBI or MI5.;)

How very true………………That said, it will be interesting to compare the UK, French, and American Carrier Battle Groups with the submarine and surface escorts in the near future?

UK
CVF Carrier
T-45’s Destroyers
Astute Submarines

US
CVN Carrier
Aegis Destroyer/Cruiser
Sea Wolf/Virginia Submarines

French
CVF Carrier (PA-2)
Horizon Frigates
Barracuda Submarines

So, are the Astutes as capable as the USN Sea Wolf and Virginia Class SSN’s?:cool:

In terms of weapons load out yes, in terms of noise reduction and sensor fit…….. well if you know that you are probably being hunted by the FBI or MI5.;)

It has a pump jet propulsor and it can fire tomahawks out of the torpedo tubes. One of the articles linked above mentions that it carrys 38, in terms of weapons load it is similar to the Virginias which are also pretty close to the Astutes in terms of size.:diablo:

So, are the Astutes as capable as the USN Sea Wolf and Virginia Class SSN’s?:cool:

Interesting and diverging design trends:

Astute’s bow is akin to the old French bow (Agosta, older SSBN).
But the French chose an elongated rounded bow their later boats and on the Barracuda went for an flattened almost round bow, closer to what the Germans built so far and still do on the 214.
But the Germans now go for an almost Electric Boat round bow on the 212 and a number of their export boats.
And the Russians and the Virginias retain their round bow.
The hull of Astute looks a little like what the Germans build, elongated with a flat top, even the fin follows the same trend as the 214 class with hull/fin blending.
In rudder design the cross and X configuration seem to alternate, as well as hydroplane position. And finally a slight trend towards pump jets, as Astute, Barrcuda and Virginia utilize them.

Astute looks very good, very … businesslike.

Interesting thing about the pumpjet propulsor. I have seen lots of photos of the Astute but none of the rear end. Were they deliberately keeping that bit out of view or covering it with something at the launch ? The large Cut away poster on the UK MOD website that they put up last week shows lots of detail of the new boat but it just shows a conventional prop but no pumpjet so is this bit being kept out of sight deliberately ? :confused:

for such a large submarine why is there
(a) no VLS tubes
(b) no pumpjet propulsor

in the cutaway drawing ?

It has a pump jet propulsor and it can fire tomahawks out of the torpedo tubes. One of the articles linked above mentions that it carrys 38, in terms of weapons load it is similar to the Virginias which are also pretty close to the Astutes in terms of size.:diablo:

no VLS

VLS is presumably a cost/size issue. AS the RN has withdrawn sub-Harpoon, the only missiles they will be firing are Tomahawks and I believe there is a co-development programme with the US to make the latest Tomahawk (D?) in a tube-launched form.

Given that the S and T conversions are firing tube-launched (and the T’s are likely to be around for some time yet), one missile upgrade was probably deemed enough.

Astutes are going to be built until the Vanguard replacements start the build phase. 7 or 8 should be the number the UK will get in the end. A large part of the fourth has already been ordered.

@WisePanda: It has a pumpjet propulsor. The Trafalgar class in the 1980s was iirc the first SSN with a pumpjet propulsor.

for such a large submarine why is there
(a) no VLS tubes
(b) no pumpjet propulsor

in the cutaway drawing ?

Ed: mate good luck in getting those extras, from everything I’ve read, they are only going to have the three. These are costing too much as is the new carriers and the Vanguard fleet, Oh not to mention the Daring class. Basically the RN is becoming a shadow of it’s former glory simply because the ministers have become too greedy and don’t want to spend money on defence!

Well a forth is looking reasonably likely as some of the lead in work is now funded. But with talk of a build rate of 1 every two years, I guess they are not going to maintain more than seven SSN total (12 years between first and last boat of a class seems somewhat excessive to me)….

Ed: mate good luck in getting those extras, from everything I’ve read, they are only going to have the three. These are costing too much as is the new carriers and the Vanguard fleet, Oh not to mention the Daring class. Basically the RN is becoming a shadow of it’s former glory simply because the ministers have become too greedy and don’t want to spend money on defence!

A good start, though another seven are needed, minimum, preferably another eleven boats, to maintain a force level of twelve boats.

Nice boat, triple deck, good size, heaps of ammo. Pitty it’s doomed, Look who launched her :diablo:

😀 😀 😀 😀 😀