NAVY NEWS, JULY 2007 9
● Big name star: HMS Astute sits on the ship lift in front of the Devonshire Dock Hall in Barrow-in-Furness
Picture: CPO(Phot) Colin Burden
Super striker fi nally unveiled
NO ONE arriving in
Then it was time for the reveal.
Barrow-in-Furness on
The doors of the hall were opened,
and the crowds on the dockside
a sunny Friday early last
caught their first glimpse of Astute,
month could be in any her blunt nose initially obscured
doubt as to the main item
by lengths of black material.
on the town’s agenda.
Before the ceremony, the
A glance south, towards
Duchess met another Astute.
The submarine’s badge (left)
the BAE Systems shipyard,
features a retriever carrying a
supplied the answer in capital
bird in its mouth, and to mark
letters 30 metres high. the occasion BAE Systems has
ASTUTE – one letter on each sponsored a guide dog puppy
of the 60-metre high sections which is undergoing training.
of the Devonshire Dock Hall – And young Astute, a black
announced the imminent arrival labrador, won the hearts of
of the latest Barrow boat – number onlookers as he greeted the
310 in a line stretching back more Duchess – and refused to leave
than a century. the dais without a struggle.
Ambush and Artful, at six
vantage points along the dock or The submarine was blessed by
letters apiece, look good for the
on the Michaelson Road bridge. the Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt
same treatment, although one A Navy Merlin helicopter
Rev Graham Dow, then came the
wonders how they will cope with provided pre-launch entertainment
moment of truth.
Audacious, the fourth of class until the guest of honour arrived
Reminding everybody that she
which was confirmed as an order at the yard, with Lt Cdr Greg
was married to an admiral, the
just days before Astute was rolled Hamilton acting as MC.
Duchess of Cornwall spoke the
out. The Duchess of Cornwall was
time-honoured words to launch
Glorious weather brought out escorted into the Devonshire
the boat – although tradition
a good crowd – an estimated Dock Hall where she had the
dictates a rather humbler brew
10,000 people were either invited chance to see an exhibition of
than champagne is used.
as guests or watched from various work by schools.
Instead, Astute was
welcomed with a bottle of
New system provides
beer brewed by a family
member of one of the
crew.
cutting-edge cover
Within minutes, as lights
flashed along the flanks, a train of
52 railway cars had started to roll
gently forward, carrying the 7,800
SUBMARINES will receive Thales Aerospace Division tonne vessel out of the hall and on
cutting-edge detection and early- UK (which includes Electronic to the mighty ship lift.
warning systems better suited to Combat Systems) beat The Duchess of Cornwall,
their 21st-Century roles. competition from numerous by now wearing a lapel badge
The MOD is investing £21m companies, including Lockheed proffered her by BAE Systems
in 14 RESM – Radar Electronic Martin and QinetiQ, to provide the Submarine Solutions Managing
Support Measures – systems improved electronic wizardry. Director Murray Easton which
for Vanguard, Trafalgar, and All four ballistic nuclear stated she was “Proud to have
Astute-class submarines to help missile boats, four Trafalgar- helped build Astute”, met some of
safeguard them against surface class submarines and all four the onlookers, then returned to the
and air attacks. Astute boats will receive the welcome shade of the cavernous
RESM systems perform upgrades over the next three- shed and on to lunch with various
three distinct functions: to four years. Existing antennae dignitaries, including First Sea
provide early warning of aircraft will remain on the vessels, but Lord Admiral Sir Jonathon Band.
looking for submarines when processors and consoles inside The Royal Navy’s senior officer
at periscope depth; compiling the boats will be replaced. said he was delighted that the
a picture of air and sea forces Shore-side systems will also powerful vessel had edged a step
in the vicinity of a boat – plus be installed for training and test closer to joining the Fleet.
any land-based radar systems; purposes.
“It is a huge tribute to Murray
recording electronic intelligence “The existing technology is
Easton and his whole team that
which can be processed back about 20 years old, and with
they have turned the whole project
in the UK. combat operations more and
around,” said Admiral Band.
The existing electronic more in the littoral, it’s a greater
“This is a really serious
radar systems date back to challenge,” said Kevin Swales,
submarine.
the 1980s and with Britain’s business unit director for
“If you want to be in the
fleet submarines operating Electronic Combat Systems at
Premiership you need a
increasingly in the littoral Thales.
Premiership-quality striker.
environment – relatively close “This is the best system there
“This is the Navy’s Wayne
to shore – the MOD asked the is – 21st-Century, state-of-the-
Rooney…”
world’s defence firms to come art. It’s a significant upgrade in
More on Astute in the marina
up with an updated solution. technology.”
Submarine Town supplement ● Evening falls as Astute waits to be lowered into the water at Barrow Picture: LA(Phot) JJ Massey
0009_NN_July.indd 109_NN_July.indd 1 220/6/07 15:21:190/6/07 15:21:19
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