The UK Ministry of Defense has announced a new £1.4 billion contract for the construction of the Royal Navy’s sixth Astute-class submarine.
Named HMS Agamemnon, the submarine is the sixth of overall seven boats to be built for the Royal Navy.
The nuclear-powered submarines are being built by BAE Systems in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
Construction of the 7,400 tonne, 97-meter long Agamemnon began in 2012, and is well underway in the Devonshire Dock Hall at Barrow, alongside Boat 5 – Anson – and the yet-to-be-named Boat 7. Their sister submarines, HMS Astute, Ambush and Artful are already in service with the Royal Navy, contributing to operations around the globe.
“This latest investment means we are well on our way to completing our fleet of Astute submarines,” Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said. “These are the most advanced submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy and are already providing unprecedented levels of stealth and attack capability across the world.”
“Securing the contract for the sixth Astute class submarine is a significant milestone for BAE Systems and the result of many years of hard work by our highly skilled workforce. The Astute class submarines are amongst the most highly capable and technologically advanced in the world and we’re immensely proud to build them for the Royal Navy,” Will Blamey , managing director of BAE Systems Submarines, said:
Alongside work on the Astute-class, BAE Systems is also the industrial lead for the Dreadnought program, the Royal Navy’s next generation of nuclear deterrent submarines.