The UK's newest nuclear submarine, HMS Agamemnon, has successfully submerged for the first time at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow, Cumbria. The milestone was achieved as part of the vessel's "trim dive," a three-day period of testing to prove the 7,400-tonne, 97-metre-long attack submarine’s stability and safety.
The process, which comes shortly after the commissioning of the Astute-class submarine into the Royal Navy, is described as a key moment in the lead-up to its departure from Barrow to join its sister fleet at His Majesty's Naval Base, Clyde, according to BAE.
Commander David Crosby, HMS Agamemnon's Commanding Officer, stated, “This period enables us to set the boat’s internal weight, prove her water-tight integrity, test sensors and put some of our systems through their paces ahead of sailing for the first time.”
HMS Agamemnon is the sixth of seven Astute-class submarines being built for the Royal Navy.
In addition to this programme, BAE Systems is also constructing four Dreadnought-class boats, which are due to enter service from the early 2030s as the replacement for the Vanguard-class submarines that currently deliver the UK's continuous at-sea deterrent.