HMS Agamemnon Leaves Barrow For First Sea Trials
HMS Agamemnon has left Barrow shipyard for open water, marking a major milestone as the submarine begins trials ahead of Royal Navy service.
The 7,400-tonne submarine departed BAE Systems’ dock system in Barrow before making its way through the Walney Channel and into the Irish Sea. The movement marked the first time the vessel had travelled from the shipyard into open sea, beginning the next stage of its extensive testing programme. The submarine is 97 metres long and is designed to undertake a range of roles as part of the Royal Navy’s hunter-killer submarine fleet.
HMS Agamemnon is the sixth of seven Astute-class submarines being built in Barrow, continuing the town’s long-standing role at the centre of the UK’s submarine construction programme. The vessel has been developed and tested at the shipyard before reaching this latest stage, with engineers, technicians, software specialists, shipwrights and its crew involved throughout the programme.
The submarine’s departure required careful navigation through the shipyard’s dock system, locks and the narrow Walney Channel before reaching the open waters of the Irish Sea. The Royal Navy said the planned operation took two days as the vessel was moved safely away from the Barrow complex and towards its sea-trial programme.
The sea trials will allow HMS Agamemnon and its crew to undertake further testing and training before the submarine eventually heads to HM Naval Base Clyde. The trials form an important part of the process of preparing the vessel for operational service, following extensive testing already completed while it remained at Barrow.
The submarine was commissioned into the Royal Navy around a year ago and has since undergone detailed testing of its complex systems. Its crew have worked alongside industry specialists to assess the vessel, while the submarine has also completed its maiden dive in a specially deepened basin within BAE Systems’ Barrow facility.
HMS Agamemnon is powered by a nuclear reactor and is conventionally armed, forming part of the Royal Navy’s Astute-class attack submarine fleet. The class has been developed to operate for extended periods beneath the surface while carrying out a variety of tactical missions for the Royal Navy.
Once its trials and training are completed, HMS Agamemnon is expected to join five other Astute-class hunter-killer submarines already in operational service. Those vessels are HMS Astute, HMS Ambush, HMS Artful, HMS Audacious and HMS Anson, with Agamemnon becoming the sixth operational boat in the class.
The vessel is also known by its crew nickname, “Awesome Aggie”, and is the sixth Royal Navy submarine to carry the name Agamemnon. The name comes from Agamemnon, the legendary King of Mycenae who is traditionally associated with leading Greek forces during the siege of Troy.
Attention at Barrow is already turning towards the final Astute-class submarine, HMS Achilles, which remains under construction inside the Devonshire Dock Hall. Its completion will bring the seven-boat Astute programme to its final stage after years of submarine construction and testing in the town.
Alongside the Astute programme, major work is continuing at Barrow on four Dreadnought-class submarines. These vessels are being developed to replace the Royal Navy’s Vanguard-class submarines, which currently provide the UK's continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent capability.
BAE Systems is also carrying out early design work for SSN-AUKUS, the next generation of attack submarines intended to replace the Astute class. The programme adds another long-term element to Barrow’s role in the development and construction of the Royal Navy’s future submarine fleet.
Steve Timms, managing director of BAE Systems’ submarines business, described the departure as a significant moment for the organisation and the wider UK submarine enterprise. He said the Astute class incorporates advanced technology designed to allow submarines to operate around the world without surfacing while carrying out a range of tactical roles.
Royal Navy First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins said HMS Agamemnon would soon arrive at HM Naval Base Clyde after completing the next stages of trials and training. He also highlighted the importance of the submarine fleet to the Royal Navy and described the new vessel as representing British engineering and the work of the submariners involved.
The departure represents another major milestone for Barrow’s shipbuilding sector, with the town continuing to support construction of submarines across several generations. HMS Agamemnon’s move from the shipyard to the Irish Sea now begins a new phase in the vessel’s journey towards operational service.
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