Key Points: The Astute-class submarines are the Royal Navy’s pinnacle of modern undersea warfare, combining stealth, firepower, and cutting-edge technology.
-Armed with Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles and Spearfish torpedoes, these hunter-killer subs patrol the North Atlantic, safeguarding the UK against potential threats like Russian vessels.
-The advanced Astute Combat Management System (ACMS) and TERCOM navigation ensure precision and concealment anywhere globally.
-With the recent launch of HMS Agamemnon, nicknamed “Awesome Aggie,” the fleet’s capabilities continue to expand.
-Amid reduced surface forces and budget cuts, the Astute-class underscores Britain’s commitment to maintaining dominance in 21st-century submarine warfare.
Astute-Class Submarines: The UK’s Secret Weapon Under the Waves
Submarines have significant missions and tactical traits in the 21st century.
They must protect the homeland, gather intelligence and surveillance data, insert special operations forces, conduct offensive maneuvers against enemy subs and shipping, and fire nuclear and conventional ballistic missiles.
Some navies are better at this than others, of course, one country’s maritime force that was once so dominant in surface vessels is now better known for its submarines.
Always Ready to Dominate Undersea Warfare
The British Navy has quickly become an undersea warfare force of nature.
Look no further than the Royal Navy’s Astute-class of nuclear-powered boats that began to replace the earlier Trafalgar-class subs in 2010.
The first sub of the class, the Astute, commissioned that year, quickly established itself as one of the best in the world. They are quiet, stealthy, and powerful.
Hunter-Killers in the Best Way
The Astute-class can bring the noise with their Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles and swoop in silent for the kill with Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes.
At sea aboard USS Stethem (DDG 63) Ð A Tactical Tomahawk Cruise Missile launches from the guided missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63) during a live-warhead test. The missile traveled 760 nautical miles to successfully impact itÕs intended target on San Clemente Island, part of the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) test range in Southern California. The Tactical Tomahawk is the next generation of Tomahawk cruise missile, adds the capability to reprogram the missile while in-flight to strike any of 15 preprogrammed alternate targets, or redirect the missile to any Global Positioning System (GPS) target coordinates. It also will be able to loiter over a target area for some hours, and with its on-board TV camera, will allow the war fighting commanders to assess battle damage of the target, and, if necessary redirect the missile to any other target. Launched from the Navy’s forward-deployed ships and submarines, Tactical Tomahawk will provide a greater flexibility to the on-scene commander. Tactical Tomahawk is scheduled to join the fleet in 2004. U.S. Navy photo. (RELEASED)
Now, seven Astute-class subs are cruising around the North Atlantic looking for Russian vessels that may stray too close to the British Isles.
Astute-Class: Quiet as a Dolphin
If you think dolphins swim swiftly and sneakily through the sea, spreading mischief, you get the idea behind the Astute-class.
They are “quiet as a dolphin.” This is partly due to the Astute Combat Management System (ACMS).
“The [ACMS] platform management system on board the submarines controls and monitors the on-board systems. It comprises sensors, actuators, remote terminal units, and data processing that provide real-time information and diagnostics,” according to Naval-Technology.com.
Vanguard-Class Submarine of Royal Navy. Image: Creative Commons.
There is the TERCOM (Terrain Contour Mapping-assisted Inertial Navigation System) for better situational awareness and navigation.
This ultra-modern system places the Astute-class in the best-of-show category by allowing the subs to hide anywhere in the world.
There is an updated GPS system for targeting missiles and torpedoes to improve range and accuracy. If the United Kingdom needs to take out land targets to support ground forces in combat, the Astute-class is the one to call on.
Torpedoes and Swift, Silent and Deadly
The Astute-class can hold 36 torpedoes and missiles.
The Spearfish torpedo is a beauty. It is wire-guided with an active/passive homing warhead. Its range is 40 miles with a speed of 60 knots.
As a result, enemy ships and subs have no idea they are being tracked and targeted. The boats can even lay mines.
Astute-Class Keep Getting Better
In October, the Royal Navy launched the new HMS Agamemnon, an even more modern addition to the Astute-class.
This boat is nicknamed “Awesome Aggie” and is the seventh of the group that are in active service.
The Aggie is a true hunter-killer that the Royal Navy is excited about. It will continue to sneak around and find enemy ships before it is tracked and then rain down fire on adversarial land-based military targets.
The boat’s skipper is filled to the brim with pride. “It is fantastic to finally get Awesome Aggie into the water in preparation for the final stages of build and commissioning of this extremely complex and highly capable submarine. While the roll out and launch is not as exciting as an historic dynamic launch on a slipway, it does have periods of excitement – and it has taken months of detailed planning across the entire build enterprise to get safely to this stage. The days of the actual launch have been long but ultimately it is a very special period for all involved and one that they and their families, as well as the people of Barrow, should be extremely proud of,” said David ‘Bing’ Crosby, Agamemnon’s Commanding Officer.
The Aggie will join the other Astute-class boats to create a defensive screen around the United Kingdom. They can always go on the offensive, too.
Why the Asute-Class Matters So Much
The entire British military, unfortunately, has seen better days. Budget cuts and reductions in force have hamstrung the Army. The Air Force depends on the older Eurofighter Typhoon (although it has acquired the F-35). The Navy has fewer surface ships than it did during the Cold War.
Thus, it falls on the Astute-class to dominate the fight as one of the best undersea warfare assets in the world. British attack submarines are one way to execute modern 21st-century warfare with NATO allies at a time when Russia is so unpredictable and aggressive.
Astute-class Submarine. Image: Creative Commons.
The Astute is a modern marvel, and Awesome Aggie will be a great addition to the submarine force. Britain can hold its head high and give credit to its defense industry, which still has the skill and the human capital to deliver such a technologically advanced submarine.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
