HMS Agamemnon (S124)

Career
Ordered: March 2010
Builder: BAE Systems Submarine Solutions
Identification: Pennant number: S124
Status: Under construction
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type: Astute-class submarine
Displacement: 7,400 tonnes submerged
Length: 97 m (323 ft)
Beam: 11.3 m (37 ft)
Draught: 10 m (33 ft)
Propulsion: Rolls-Royce PWR2 reactor (with full submarine life core), MTU 600 kilowatt diesel generators
Speed: 29+ knots (54 km/h) submerged
Range: Only limited by food and maintenance requirements
Complement: 98 officers and men normally, capacity of 109
Sensors and
processing systems:
Armament:

6 x 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes

HMS Agamemnon is a proposed Astute-class nuclear-powered fleet submarine of the Royal Navy and will be the sixth submarine in her class. On 25 March 2010, BAE Systems were given the go-ahead by the government to begin construction on boats 5 and 6 (Anson and Agamemnon), being given a £300 million contract for the "initial build" of boat 5 and "long lead procurement activities" for boat 6.[2] Initial construction work was begun on boat 6 late in 2010 and is ongoing as of 2011.[3] On 15 September 2011 it was announced that boat 5 was to be named Anson; it had previously been stated that boat 5 would be Agamemnon and boat 6 Anson, and it is now believed that the Agamemnon name will be transferred to boat 6.

Contents

Design

Nuclear power

Agamemnon's nuclear reactor will not need to be refuelled during the boat's 25 year service. Since the submarine can replenish her air supply and purify water underway and while submerged, she will be able to circumnavigate the planet without resurfacing. The submarine's main limitation will be from the three months supply of food carried for the 98 officers and ratings.

Stealth

The Astute class SSNs are designed as the most stealthy Royal Navy submarines in history. Using advanced stealth technology Astute "makes less noise than a baby dolphin, making her as good as undetectable by enemy ships."[4]

Weapons

Agamemnon will carry a mix of 38 weapons in six 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes;

References

External links