One hundred years to the day after construction began on Holland 1, the Royal Navy’s first submarine, the first steel that was to become HMS Astute was laid down in January 2001.

HMS Astute, SSN20, has been preceded by one other submarine bearing that proud name. Also built in Barrow-in-Furness, by the shipyard’s previous owner Vickers Armstrong, she was laid down 4 April 1944, taking just 15 months to complete.

BAE Systems Submarine Solutions has designed and built a submarine to meet the evolving needs of the Royal Navy in the 21st Century. As the Cold War chapter of operations drew to a close, the demands of the submarine service changed and the flexibility to react to a range of situations became the driving requirement.

Nearly 10 years after the previous nuclear submarine, HMS Vengeance, was launched in Barrow, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall presided over HMS Astute’s launch on 8 June 2007. The submarine emerged from Devonshire Dock Hall and was lowered into Devonshire Dock, to the delight of a crowd of nearly 10,000 people. Settled in her environment, HMS Astute showed her true colours, one crew member describing her as appearing “graceful, yet aggressive; a telling indication of her potent ability”.