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UK’s Most Powerful Hunter-Killer Submarine Officially Joins the Royal Navy Fleet

After years of effort plus the additional challenges brought on by the pandemic, HMS Anson finally joined the Royal Navy’s fleet, claiming to be the most advanced attack submarine not just in the UK but in the world.
HMS Anson was officially commissioned into the Royal Navy fleet 8 photos
Photo: Royal Navy
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Commissioning ceremonies are always a popular event. This time, the ceremony took place at BAE Systems’ yard in Cumbria, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles also attending, in addition to many other officials. The new submarine’s sponsor (patron) is Julie Weale, whose husband was the head of the Silent Service until 2020, and its name is a tribute to George Anson, an 18th-century Admiral.

Like all the new Astute-class submarines, this 318-foot (97 meters) underwater beast weighs 7,400 tons, and it’s powered by a nuclear reactor, which helps extend its range while also generating oxygen and water.

Meant to be deadly, HMS Anson can pack up to 38 Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk Block V cruise missiles. This is what it uses to destroy other submarines, as well as surface ships. Plus, it can even successfully deal with land targets, even up to 1,000 miles (1,609 km) away.

In addition to its advanced weapons, the power of HMS Anson lies in its stealth. Despite its size and weaponry, this mammoth vessel is “silent and unseen.” According to the Royal Navy, it’s the most advanced of its kind in the world and certainly the most powerful one ever built in the UK.

Now that it was officially welcomed to the team, the new submarine will spend several more weeks in Barrow, for its final tests, before heading towards the HM Naval Base Clyde in Faslane, which will become its permanent home. Anson is the fifth submarine to be completed in the Astute class, and will be followed by HMS Agamemnon and HMS Agincourt.



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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
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Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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