Astute (S 119)
| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | SSN 5 |
Keel Layed by Baroness Symons - Minister of Defence Procurement Entered service in 2010 after significant build enhancements were requested by MoD late in the design phase.
In Build
1st Roll out and Naming Ceremony
'Rolled Out' from Devonshire Dock Hall after naming by Camila, Duchess of Cornwall, 8th June 2007.
Exit Barrow
Astute departed Barrow for Sea Trials and set off from the Barrow docks at around 9:30am 15th Nov 2009. She past Piel Island at around 10.10am heading to Faslane, Scotland.
Events
| 31-01-2001 | Laid Down |
| 08-06-2007 | HMS ASTUTE 'Rolled Out' from Devonshire Dock Hall after naming by Camila, Duchess of Cornwall. |
| 15-11-2009 | Departed Barrow for Sea Trials The nuclear powered first of class submarine set off from the Barrow docks at around 9.30am. She past Piel Island at around 10.10am heading to Faslane, Scotland. |
| 20-11-2009 | Arrived at Faslane for the first time. The submarine's arrival on the Clyde marks the beginning of a process that will see Faslane become the UK's sole operating submarine base over the next decade. |
| 27-08-2010 | Completed |
| 22-10-2010 | HMS Astute grounded in shallow waters off the Isle of Skye just after 8am. The vessel was on the surface conducting a personnel transfer when her rudder became grounded when its rudder apparently became stuck on a shingle bank in the Kyle of Lochalsh, near the Skye road bridge. During the operation to tow Astute clear, there was a collision between the rescue tug and the submarine, which resulted in damage to her starboard foreplane. The submarine returned under its own power to Faslane, where the damage incurred in the grounding and afterward was described as minor. |
| 27-10-2010 | Commander Andy Coles relieved of his command following a grounding incident the previous week. It was subsequently decided that he would not face a court martial. In December 2010 it was announced that Commander Iain Breckenridge, who has previously commanded the submarine HMS Tireless, would take over command. |
| 11-12-2010 | On her first day back at sea after a grounding incident, HMS Astute had to return to port for repairs due to a minor problem with her steam plant. |
| 08-04-2011 | A shooting incident occurred onboard HMS Astute alongside in Southampton which resulted in the death of the WEO (Lt Cdr Ian Molyneux), the serious wounding of the MEO (Lt Cdr Chris Hodge), and the arrest of a member of the ships company. |
| 07-10-2014 | HMS Astute, returned to HMNB Clyde after spending eight months at sea on her first operational deployment. The submarine's Lady Sponsor, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Rothesay (The Duchess of Cornwall), joined senior naval officers and over 150 friends and family to welcome her return at a special ceremony at Faslane. |
| 09-03-2015 | Following on from her first operational deployment HMS Astute left the Clyde for her next deployment to the familiar waters of the Mediterranean. This deployment would see the further development and enhancement of the Astute Class operating procedures and operational techniques. The first stop after the Clyde was the NATO base at Souda Bay, a common stopping off point for Royal Navy vessels in the Mediterranean. |
| 27-07-2017 | HMS Astute returned to the Fleet after completing a major capability upgrade and sea training period. HMS Astute’s sea training process tested all aspects of the equipment and crew, ensuring that she is ready to respond to emergency situations while continuing with high intensity operations. The rigorous training package contained a number of phases with the team put through their paces during fire fighting and damage control exercises as well as completing weapon certification of the UK's anti-surface and anti-submarine weapon system. |
| 30-11-2018 | Type 23 frigate HMS St Albans and hunter-killer sub HMS Astute have been operating alongside each other, honing their Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) skills. But it was also an opportunity for them to go up against each other, testing their ability to deal with the threat one another brings to the battlefield. 2To be the best at what we do, it is essential that we train both against and alongside the very best,2 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." 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. |
| 25-02-2019 | HMS Astute and Type 23 frigate HMS St Albans faced tough weather conditions as they took advantage of working together on their anti-submarine warfare capabilities to do personnel transfer training. St Albans' Merlin helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron flew between both vessels, winching submariners and sailors while battling wind and rain. Lieutenant Commander Andrew Mitchell, flight commander on board the Portsmouth-based frigate, said: "The transfer was one of the most challenging, and professionally rewarding experiences. We don't get to do this often and certainly not in such adverse weather conditions." |
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