News
The Duchess of Cornwall launches HMS Astute
8th June 2007
The Duchess of Cornwall launched the Royal Navy's largest and most powerful submarine to the cheers of 10,000 people in Cumbria today.
Her Royal Highness, acting as Lady Sponsor, launched the mammoth £3.5 billion nuclear-powered submarine HMS Astute at the dockyard in Barrow-in-Furness.
As is traditional at the dockyard in Barrow, the boat was not launched with a magnum of champagne, but with a bottle of special home-brewed beer made by the ship's crew.
Workers in overalls, schoolchildren in uniform, naval crew, VIP guests and military personnel were among the 10,000 visitors cheering as The Duchess launched the vessel.
Before the naming ceremony and after a blessing by The Bishop of Carlisle, The Duchess of Cornwall gave a short speech.
She said: "As an Admiral's wife myself, I am delighted to be in Barrow-in-Furness today for the naming and launching of Astute".
"I shall follow her progress with particular interest as she serves in the fleet."
The Duchess then gave the traditional naming valediction, "I name this ship Astute. May God bless her and all who sail in her," before she pulled a lever and the bottle was broken against the hull of vessel.
The vast black structure, the length of 10 London buses, then began to inch out of the huge doors of the Devonshire Dock Hall into blazing sunshine and to cheers and applause from thousands lining the dockside.
As a retriever is on the crest of HMS Astute, The Duchess was presented with a Retriever puppy which will be donated as a guide dog for the blind.
After the ceremony The Duchess spent an hour meeting local children, employees of BAE Systems and boat crew.
The 7,400-tonne vessel is the first of four new submarines to be constructed at Barrow, with Ambush, Artful and Audacious to follow.
They will replace the UK's Swiftsure and Trafalgar-class submarines, in service since the 1970s and 1980s respectively.
Chris Nelson, spokesman for BAE, said: "We are really proud of what we have achieved. Astute is the most capable submarine that the Navy has ever had in terms of its ability to undertake different types of missions."
After a year's sea trials, Astute will be handed over to the Royal Navy in August 2008, to be based at Faslane in Scotland, along with the remaining Vanguard and Swiftsure submarines.
It will then go on active service, patrolling thousands of miles from home, hundreds of metres below the water, to protect Britain's national interests.