UK: The Royal Navy has christened the latest in its series of Astute-class submarines at at BAE Systems' shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness.
'HMS Anson' is the fifth of the Astute-class attack submarines – the largest and most powerful ever built for the Royal Navy. The Astute class, which will progressively replace the Swiftsure and Trafalgar classes, are sophisticated, deep-diving, high-speed submarines. Displacing 7,400 tonnes and measuring 97 metres from bow to propulsor, they are significantly larger than their predecessors but need fewer crew to operate them.
They are capable of fulfilling a range of maritime military tasks and combine qualities of stealth, endurance and flexibility, which afford the submarines unparalleled freedom to operate worldwide. Technically they are capable of circumnavigating the globe without surfacing. and with advances in nuclear technology they never need refuelling.
'HMS Anson' joins her sister vessels 'HMS Astute', 'HMS Ambush', 'HMS Artful' and 'HMS Audacious'. She is named after the reforming 18th century admiral George Anson (1697-1762) who was noted for his circumnavigation of the globe and his role overseeing the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War.