Royal Navy frigate, submarine in cat and mouse games off Scotland

Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS St Albans and the nuclear-powered submarine HMS Astute honed their Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) skills recently, during joint training off Scotland.

HMS St Albans and HMS Astute are two of the vessels that form the Royal Navy’s anti-submarine capability.

This latest training exercise took place in a Scottish loch and was a chance to sharpen and refine procedures necessary to coordinate activity when dealing with a potential submarine threat.

“To be the best at what we do, it is essential that we train both against and alongside the very best,” Commander John Cromie, Commanding Officer of HMS St Albans, said.

“HMS Astute provides that partner with whom we can polish our skills to the highest level.”

The Astute class – of which Clyde-based HMS Astute was the first in the line – is the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarine ever operated by the Royal Navy.

Equipped with Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles, it is a powerful and versatile craft capable of dealing with surface and sub-surface threats.

The Type 23 is equipped with specialist sonar and torpedoes designed to counter submarines. Following these exercises, HMS St Albans will return to her primary role as one of the Royal Navy’s highest readiness warships.

The frigate is regularly on duty protecting the integrity of UK waters.

Most recently, St Albans shadowed a Russian warship through the English Channel.