NAVY NEWS, DECEMBER 2008 3
Leading light visits boat
THE sponsor of the Royal Navy’s newest pumps failed. at Holker Hall, the residence of Lord and Lady
submarine has been back to Barrow-in-Furness
But, as reported in last month’s edition, Astute Cavendish.
to check on the progress of ‘her’ boat.
is back in the water, and within days her sponsor Several groups affiliated to Astute also
The Duchess of Cornwall launched Astute at the
went on board to get a much better idea of how the attended.
allance (BAE Systems)
BAE Systems yard in the summer of 2007 – although
finished vessel will look. Many of the compartments on the boat now have
with modern nuclear submarines launches take the
The Duchess, wearing her special Astute brooch, had final touches applied and she now looks and
form of a slow, stately roll-out from the build shed.
toured the ship with Astute’s Commanding Officer, feels like a working submarine.
Astute was not lowered into the water until Cdr Mike Walliker, and met the families of some of
The process of returning her to the Buccleuch
days later, and at that stage the Duchess saw a the ship’s company, as well as BAE Systems staff.
Dock basin was spread over three days.
boat which was still very much in build – internal One crewman singled out was WOMA James Drew,
While on the move further trials were carried out,
e: Mike V
compartments and fittings were far from finished. whose efforts in setting up Astute’s medical facilities
including the discharge of dummy weapons through
The attack submarine was put through dock won him the Man of the Boat award, presented to
her torpedo tubes, achieved in the basin before she
trials and returned to the giant Devonshire Dock him by the Duchess and Surg Rear Admiral Philip
was towed out of the dock to the adjacent quay.
Pictur
Hall for a ten-month programme which included Raffaelli, Naval Director Medical Personnel.
Next on the agenda is steam testing of turbo
the installation of her reactor core and repairs The Duchess was then hosted by
generators, the gearbox and main engine as
to damaged turbo members of the wardrooms of
the boat is prepared for sea trials which
generator shafts Astute and her sister Ambush for
are planned for next year.
after lubrication a Trafalgar Night dinner, held
003_NN_dec.indd 1 17/11/08 17:24:02
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