HMS Audacious (S122)

History of HMS Audacious (S122)

With the end of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the West from 1989 to 1991, the Royal Navy entered a period of modernization, phasing out a range of aging types and causing A range of new products: stealth-centric surface warships, a whole new generation of aircraft carriers, and powerful nuclear-powered submarines that live underwater. The Astute class was developed as a five fleet submarine solution, joining two older members of the Trafalgar class in the 1990s. The HMS Audacious (S122) is the fourth of seven Astute-class ships scheduled to enter service. Audacious was ordered from Bae Systems Submarine Solutions in May 2007, laid out on March 24, 2009, and launched for testing on April 28, 2017 a considerable time later.

The ship officially entered service on September 23, 2021.

HMS Audacious is built to Smart Class standards with a surface displacement of between 7,700 and 8,200 tonnes (short) and a submerged displacement of between 8,200 and 8,600 tonnes (short). Dimensions include a barrel length of 318.2 feet, a beam of 37 feet and a draft of 32.9 feet. Power is provided by a single Rolls-Royce PWR2 series nuclear reactor, giving the vessel essentially unlimited range at sea. The reactor has a rated service life of up to 25 years.

A 600 kW MTU diesel generator is also part of the propulsion unit, driving a propeller unit in the stern. All in all, the streamlined boat can propel underwater at speeds of up to 30 knots, with a total endurance (limited by onboard supplies and crew fatigue) of up to 90 days.

98 refills on board, up to a total capacity of 109 as needed. The installed system includes a Thales Sonar 2076 fit, an Atlas DESO 25 depth sounder and a Thales CM010 twin photoelectric mast.

The armament consists of 6 x 21" (533 mm) torpedo tubes that can be reloaded up to 38 times. In addition to firing the Spearfish torpedoes, these tubes are also designed to support the U.S. launch of the Tomahawk. (Block IV) Land attack cruise missiles.

Specification

BASIC

Year of Service

2021

Origins

UK

Status

In service

supplement

98

staff

SHIPBUILDER

BAE Systems Submarine Solutions - UK

Class information

Class

Smart Classroom

Class Size

7

ships

Class

HMS Astute (S119); HMS Ambush (S120); HMS Astute (S121); HMS Bold (S122); HMS Anson (S123); HMS Agamemnon (S124); HMS Agincourt ( S125)

Operators

UK

Roles

Underwater Attack

Move subsurface to find, track and/or attack or reconnaissance areas.

Sea Patrol

Active patrolling of critical waterways and sea areas; also serves as a local deterrent against air and maritime threats.

Fleet Support

Provide support (fire or materiel) to major surface fleets in blue water environments.

Distinctive Features

Rocket Weapons

The ship supports long-range missile launches to air, sea or land-based targets; typical of modern design.

Torpedo

Able to launch torpedoes at distant targets.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

318. 2 feet

96.99m

Ray

37. 0 feet

11.28m

Draft

32.9 feet

10.03m

Shift

7,000 t

No. submerged

8,400 t

Power and Performance

Installed Power:

1 x Rolls Royce PWR2 nuclear reactor with MTU 600 kW diesel generator powering 1 x stern shaft.

Surface Velocity

20.0 nodes

(23. 0 km/h)

Underwater speed

30.0 nodes

(34.5 km/h)

Area

essentially infinite

Armament

6 x 21" (533 mm) torpedo tube (bow end); supports the launch of Spearfish torpedoes and Tomohawk Block IV land attack cruise missiles.

AIRCRAFT

None.