"I would like to take this opportunity to wish Astute and her crew a long, safe and distinguished future in the service of the Royal Navy, and offer my heartfelt congratulations to the men and women who created her."

"Her sensors underwater or above water are extraordinarily capable, she is very quiet, and we expect her to be very capable"

"You should be proud of the finished product. The Navy is proud and delighted to have this platform and the people of Barrow are very proud."

"To my mind this is a 7,000 tonne Swiss watch. There is an extraordinary amount of expertise in putting one of these submarines together. There are stages when it’s like blacksmithing, and there are stages when it’s like brain surgery."

"The submarine is huge. It’s 100m long, three decks deep – there is no inch of the submarine that is similar to another inch of it. I would definitely put it in the same league as the space shuttle, or projects of that size."

"Realising the vision of Astute’s sophisticated design, so necessary to retain the Navy’s battle-winning technological edge now and into the future, has been no mean feat, made possible thanks to the efforts of a huge variety of people."

"Astute not only marks a milestone in the evolution of submarine warfare, but also points the way to our future. A testament to innovation."

"The Astute class is truly next generation. They are immensely powerful vessels and they will form a key part of our future programme, giving the Royal Navy the versatility and technical excellence needed to operate successfully across the globe."

"Astute heralds a real evolutionary change in our underwater military capacity that will greatly improve our ability to contribute to a wide range of joint operations, both worldwide and in home waters."

"It takes an elite team to operate the world’s most complex military vessel. Lives depend on their teamwork, safety, and attention to detail."

"Behind her enormous exterior is a mass of top secret, world-class engineering. Imagine: a 7,400 tonne submarine making less ‘noise’ than a baby dolphin."

"I would like to pay tribute to the MoD and BAE Systems staff who have worked so hard to achieve this remarkable feat of engineering."

"It’s a little bit rough, a bit exciting in the storm clouds and rough sea – that’s the setting for a lean, mean machine like a submarine."

"The skills, expertise and commitment of the Barrow workforce are absolutely fundamental to the success of the Astute programme."

"I am deeply honoured to become the Sponsor of Astute, and look forward to a long and happy association with her, wherever she may be in service with the Royal Navy."

"The Astute class will become a cornerstone of UK defence capability and the benefit they will bring to our Royal Navy cannot be overstated."

"Test and commissioning represents one of the most critical phases in Astute’s journey, both during the build programme and throughout sea trials."

"On behalf of all the old Astute crew members we wish the new Astute, and all her crews to come, the same success and achievements, the same happy treasured memories and the same lifelong friendships."

"Design and construction of the Astute class is the most challenging engineering project in the UK and has been described as more complex than the space shuttle"

"I never cease to be impressed at what you achieve and the complexity of your task makes it even more astonishing."