Astute Class Sub (Royal Navy)

[SethP]

Recently read up on the Astute class sub, thought I'd share some pretty interesting details about it I discovered...


"A new £1.2 billion Royal Navy submarine which from the Channel is able to detect the QE2 cruise liner leaving New York harbour was unveiled yesterday.
The Astute, the first attack submarine to be built in almost two decades, is the "most stealthy in the world" and will put the Navy at the "top of the premiership", commanders said.

At a time when morale is suffering, the launch next month of the Navy's biggest ever hunter-killer submarine will also give hope that Service can provide considerable punch anywhere in the world.

With threats in the next decade more likely to come from Islamic terrorism the submarine will be able to sit off coasts undetected listening in to mobile phone conversations.

It also has the ability to insert Special Forces by mini submersibles into enemy territory where they can direct the boat's deadly Tomahawk missiles with a range of 1,400 miles.
"It will feel like we have won the premiership when the Astute is handed over to the Navy. We will become the Manchester United of submarine nations," Capt Mike Davis-Marks, a submariner for 25 years, told the first journalists allowed on board the boat yesterday."

"The Astute class submarines are the next-generation nuclear fleet submarines of the Royal Navy. When completed, the boats will set a new standard for the Royal Navy in terms of weapons load, improved communications facilities, stealth and comfort for the crew. The boats are being constructed by BAE Systems Submarine Solutions at Barrow-in-Furness."

"Astute-class boats are powered by a Rolls-Royce PWR2 (Core H) reactor and fitted with a pump-jet propulsor. The PWR2 reactor was developed for Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines. As a result Astute-class boats are about 30 per cent larger than previous British attack submarines, which were powered by smaller reactors. It is the first Royal Navy submarine class to have a bunk for each member of the ship's company, ending the practice of 'hot bunking', whereby two sailors on opposite watches shared the same bunk.[5]
Like all Royal Navy submarines, the bridge fin of the Astute-class boats is specially reinforced to allow surfacing through ice caps. They can fire Tomahawk cruise missiles from their launch tubes, including the new "tactical Tomahawk" currently under development. More than 39,000 acoustic tiles mask the vessel's sonar signature, giving the Astute class a better stealth quality than any other submarine previously operated by the Royal Navy.[6] The vessel is equipped with the advanced 2076 Sonar System, which is capable of identifying and tracking vessels across thousands of square miles of ocean.

The Astute Combat Management System is an evolved version of the Submarine Command System used on other classes of submarine. The system receives data from the boat's sensors and displays real time imagery on all command consoles. The Type 2076 sonar is an integrated passive/active search and attack sonar suite with bow, intercept, flank and towed arrays. The submarines also have DESO 25 high-precision echosounders, two CM010 non-hull-penetrating optronic masts which carry thermal imaging and low light TV and colour CCD TV sensors."

Sources:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...he-oceans.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astute_class_submarine

[Lance Williams]

A nasty fish. I'm glad the UK is on our side..........

[Half Pint John]

the first attack submarine to be built in almost two decades

giving the Astute class a better stealth quality than any other submarine previously operated by the Royal Navy

After two decades, I certainly hope so.

"It will feel like we have won the premiership when the Astute is handed over to the Navy. We will become the Manchester United of submarine nations," Capt Mike Davis-Marks, a submariner for 25 years, told the first journalists allowed on board the boat yesterday."

Man U isn't made up of one man. Neither is a fleet of submarines made up of one boat. British understatement is a thing of the past.

Looks like a great boat with a lot of capabilities even though they went a bit over board in the report. The first sub to break through the ice sheets at the North Pole happen 56 years ago. Hardly something with a gee wizz affect.

I wish the RN well with this first one, but only one well be cause of sadness if it remains the only one built.

For the RN, future, present and past

[Bwaha]

Why did they not use a ducted propeller? I thought that was standard with British subs.

[Listy]

Through out the last few years as the RN gets shafted, we've been at the top of the game in three area's. Mine counter measure's, Sub's and Assault craft. At the moment our Mine counter measure's are getting depleted to a worrying level though.

[Half Pint John]

Originally Posted by Listy

Through out the last few years as the RN gets shafted, we've been at the top of the game in three area's. Mine counter measure's, Sub's and Assault craft. At the moment our Mine counter measure's are getting depleted to a worrying level though.

Can you offer a link for the Assault Craft?

[Listy]

Originally Posted by Half Pint

Can you offer a link for the Assault Craft?

HMS Ocean, HMS Albion, HMS Bulwark, HMS Largs Bay, HMS Lyme Bay, HMS Mounts Bay and HMS Cardigan Bay. Granted the Bay class aren't exactly assault ships, but they do support Landing operations.

[Half Pint John]

Originally Posted by Listy

HMS Ocean, HMS Albion, HMS Bulwark, HMS Largs Bay, HMS Lyme Bay, HMS Mounts Bay and HMS Cardigan Bay. Granted the Bay class aren't exactly assault ships, but they do support Landing operations.

Thanks for the great effort.

HMS Ocean looks a lot like USN ships task for the same mission.

Now the Bay Class has an usual profile for sure. I guess when fitted out with hanger space it also would look much the same as the USN same tasked ship.

What exactly is the LFA designation?

[Listy]

Originally Posted by Half Pint

What exactly is the LFA designation?

I would guess Light Fleet Auxiliary. But its just that, a Guess. But where was that mentioned, it might give better clues in context?

[Half Pint John]

Originally Posted by Listy

I would guess Light Fleet Auxiliary. But its just that, a Guess. But where was that mentioned, it might give better clues in context?

Under the HMS Lyme Bay link. Does the Auxiliary relate to crewing or that the ship is 'only' a support ship?

[Listy]

Originally Posted by Half Pint

Under the HMS Lyme Bay link. Does the Auxiliary relate to crewing or that the ship is 'only' a support ship?

As in part of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

[Half Pint John]

Originally Posted by Listy

As in part of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Much as I thought. Thanks again for the info.

[UGLYGUTS]

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is another plus side for the Navy too, those chaps rarely get the credit they deserve for the job they do.
The RN would be buggered without em, a salute to the RFA says I.

As to the new sub, this piece of kit given the nature of the threats we realistically face will be a huge help, more use than the carriers imho, sure a carrier will hit the enemy but against terrorists its not much cop,
Might be worth parking it within earshot of Somalia.

[Legosim]

Originally Posted by UGLYGUTS

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is another plus side for the Navy too, those chaps rarely get the credit they deserve for the job they do.
The RN would be buggered without em, a salute to the RFA says I.

As to the new sub, this piece of kit given the nature of the threats we realistically face will be a huge help, more use than the carriers imho, sure a carrier will hit the enemy but against terrorists its not much cop,
Might be worth parking it within earshot of Somalia.

Knowing when and where pirates are going to hit wouldn't be a bad thing.

New submarines only slightly outlclass pirate pontoon boats in ship-ship capabilities though you know.

[globetrotter]

She's really not as big as I would have thought. Beauty.

How many are they planning to build?