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2014-07-01

BAE SYSTEMS LAUNCHES ASTUTE CLASS SUBMARINE

BAE Systems has launched Artful, the latest state-of-the-art submarine into the dock at its site in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, UK.

Artful, the third of seven highly complex Astute class submarines being designed and built for the UK Royal Navy, will now begin the next phase of its test and commissioning process ahead of sea trials next year.

Stuart Godden, Astute programme director for BAE Systems, said: “The launch of Artful is another significant step forward in the Astute programme.

“Building on past experiences we’ve been able to launch her in the most advanced state of construction of any submarine to be built in Barrow. This allows us to now fully concentrate on the test and commissioning activities required to get her to sea.

“Moving a submarine of this size from its build hall to the water is very challenging. It’s testament to the experience and careful planning of the team involved that Artful is now ready for the next phase in her programme.

“Witnessing a submarine move out of the hall and be readied for launch is truly inspiring and a source of great pride to the thousands who have played a part in getting Artful to this stage.”

Artful will now undergo a series of complex tests to prove the safety and operability of its systems before it departs BAE Systems’ site for sea trials.

The Ministry of Defence’s director submarines, Rear Admiral Mike Wareham, said: “The Astute programme is making real progress and the sight of the third submarine afloat in the water is a reflection of the hard work of both the MOD and industry.

“The launch of this submarine brings it a step closer to entering into service where it will provide a key capability for the Royal Navy and an essential component of the Submarine Service into the future.”

COMPLEX PROGRAMMES

BAE Systems, the prime contractor in the Astute programme, is a designer and builder of nuclear powered submarines - one of the most complex engineering programmes in the world today.

The first two submarines in the Astute class – HMS Astute and HMS Ambush – have now been handed over to the UK Royal Navy, while the remaining five are in various stages of construction.

Each Astute submarine is 97m long - greater than the length of 10 London buses. When fully stored they will displace 7,400 tonnes of sea water, equivalent to 65 blue whales. Advanced nuclear technology means they never need to be refuelled.

The submarines will be fuelled by a nuclear reactor powerful enough to power a city the size of Southampton. They can circumnavigate the world without surfacing and the dived endurance is only limited by the amount of food that can be carried and the endurance of the crew.

Each submarine manufactures its own oxygen and fresh water from the ocean. The Astute class is the first Royal Navy submarine not to be fitted with optical periscopes – instead the vessel employs high specification video technology. The images are delivered into the submarine via fibre-optic cables. Armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, they are able to strike at targets up to 1,000km from the coast with pinpoint accuracy – equivalent to driving from London to Paris and back twice.

Around 110 km of cabling and pipe work will be installed on each submarine – equivalent to driving from Bristol to Oxford. The Sonar 2076 sonar suite has the processing power of 2,000 laptop computers. They have the world’s largest number of hydrophones, providing the Royal Navy with the “biggest ears” of any sonar system in service today.

MISSILES, TORPEDOES

Astute is equipped with the Tomahawk Block IV (tactical tomahawk) cruise missile from Raytheon, fired from the 533mm torpedo tubes.

Tomahawk is equipped with the TERCOM terrain contour mapping-assisted inertial navigation system. The terrain contour mapping for use over land combines onboard radar altimeter measurements with terrain mapping data installed in the missile. Block II added digital scene matching area correlation (DSMAC) guidance.

Block III improvements include an improved propulsion system and Navstar global positioning system (GPS) guidance capability. The GPS provides location and velocity data of the missile for precision targeting.

Tomahawk has a range of up to 1,000 miles and a maximum velocity of 550mph. Block IV includes a two-way satellite link that allows reprogramming of the missile in flight and transmission of battle damage indication (BDI) imagery. Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) Block IV entered service with the UK Royal Navy in 2008, on board Trafalgar batch I submarine, HMS Torbay.

Astute has six 533mm torpedo tubes, and is equipped with Spearfish torpedoes and mines. There is capacity for a total of 36 torpedoes and missiles.

Countermeasure technology, and sensors

The countermeasures suite includes decoys and electronic support measures (ESM). The ESM system is the Thales Sensors Outfit UAP(4). Outfit UAP(4) has two multifunction antenna arrays, which are mounted on the two non-hull penetrating optronics masts from Thales (formerly Pilkington) Optronics and McTaggart Scott.

Astute Class submarines are fitted with the Royal Navy’s new Eddystone Communications band Electronic Support Measures (CESM) system, also fitted to the Trafalgar Class submarines. The Eddystone system was developed by DML of Devonport UK, with Argon ST of the US.

It provides advanced communications, signal intercept, recognition, direction-finding and monitoring capabilities. Sea trials of the system were completed in 2007.

Astute is fitted with I-band navigation radars. The sonar is the Thales Underwater Systems (formerly Thomson Marconi Sonar) 2076 integrated passive /active search and attack sonar suite with bow, intercept, flank and towed arrays. Sonar 2076 has so far been fitted to Trafalgar Class submarines Torbay, Trenchant and Talent, entering service in February 2003. Astute is fitted with the latest version of the Thales S2076 integrated sonar suite.

Atlas Hydrographic provided the DESO 25 high-precision echosounder, which are fitted on the Astute. DESO 25 is capable of precise depth measurements down to 10,000m.

Raytheon Systems was contracted to provide the Successor IFF (identification friend or foe) naval transponder system for the Astute Class.

Propulsion, power and speed

The nuclear power is provided by the Rolls-Royce PWR 2 pressurised water reactor. The long-life core fitted on the PWR 2 means refuelling will not be necessary in the service life of the submarine.

The other main items of machinery are two Alstom turbines and a single shaft with a Rolls-Royce pump jet propulsor, consisting of moving rotor blades within a fixed duct.

There are two diesel alternators, one emergency drive motor and one auxiliary retractable propeller. CAE Electronics provided the digital, integrated controls and instrumentation system for steering, diving, depth control and platform management.

The PWR 2 second-generation nuclear reactor was developed for the Vanguard Class Trident submarines. Current generations of PWR would allow submarines to circumnavigate the world about 20 times, whereas the latest development of PWR would allow circumnavigation 40 times without refuelling.

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