- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source
Britain's newest attack submarine HMS Agamemnon finally left the shipyard yesterday – after 13 years under construction.
The 7,400-tonne, 97-metre hunter-killer warship is the sixth of the Royal Navy's Astute Class nuclear-powered fleet and was built at a cost of £1.65billion.
The sub has undergone an extraordinarily protracted construction process.
asserted
sub → see → process
Commissioned in 2013, the Ministry of Defence expected it to be an active part of the nuclear fleet by 2022.
asserted
it → commission → 2022
Agamemnon, which will have a crew of 100, left the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness and set off for sea trials before it formally enters active service.
asserted
it → have → service
Its maiden voyage saw it traversing the shipyard's dock system before reaching the Walney Channel and continuing on into the Irish Sea – its first time in open waters.
asserted
it → see → waters
Agamemnon will now join fellow hunter-killer subs HMS Astute, HMS Ambush, HMS Artful, HMS Audacious and HMS Anson in operational service with the Navy.
asserted
Agamemnon → join → Navy
First Sea Lord, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, said Agamemnon 'embodies the best of British engineering and the professionalism of our submariners and will be one of the most advanced submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy'.
asserted
Agamemnon → say → Navy
HMS Agamemnon will now undergo sea trials - a major step towards delivering the highly capable attack submarine to bolster security for the UK and the Euro-Atlantic, the Ministry of Defence said
PM Andy Burnham is pictured with the nuclear submarine in Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, in July earlier this year
asserted
Burnham → undergo → July
Sir Gwyn added: 'As we continue to strengthen our warfighting readiness, HMS Agamemnon will play a central role in keeping the United Kingdom safe, contributing to Nato's collective defence and ensuring we are ready to lead, fight and win.'
asserted
we → add → defence
The £1.65billion nuclear submarine was named after the ancient Greek king Agamemnon in a nod to Lord Nelson's favourite ship affectionately nicknamed 'Eggs and Bacon'.
asserted
submarine → name → ship
She was officially named at BAE Systems' Submarines site in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
asserted
She → name → Furness
HMS Agamemnon was blessed and christened, with a bottle of beer from the local Ulverston Brewing Company smashed against her hull.
asserted
Agamemnon → bless → hull
At 97metres long, the sixth Astute Class submarine was due to be launched in 2024, ahead of being commissioned into the Royal Navy.
asserted
submarine → launch → Navy
The submarine's launch comes after reports earlier this year that the Royal Navy's entire available fleet of hunter-killer submarines is stuck in port unable to sail – leaving Britain at risk from Vladimir Putin's Russia.
asserted
fleet → come → Russia
In a fresh humiliation for Britain's Armed Forces, all five of its Astute class submarines are currently laid up awaiting maintenance and other repair work.
asserted
five → lay → maintenance
Military experts have also warned that the Navy's lack of available nuclear-powered attack submarines – which carry up to 38 Spearfish torpedoes and a battery of Tomahawk missiles – leaves the UK's sub-sea internet and power cables dangerously vulnerable to sabotage by the Kremlin.
asserted
which → warn → Kremlin
The subs also play a critical role in protecting the larger Vanguard submarines, which carry the Trident ballistic missiles that make up the UK's nuclear deterrent.
asserted
that → play → deterrent
The extraordinary revelations come just a day after the Mail told how one of Britain's flagship £3.5billion aircraft carriers had broken down again and was forced into port in Norway for repairs.
asserted
one → come → repairs
And on Friday the head of the UK's military warned that the threats faced by Britain are greater than at any time since the Cold War.
asserted
threats → warn → War
In stark comments, Sir Richard Knighton, Chief of the Defence Staff, said Russia has been 'probing, challenging, testing our defences' and is 'raising the stakes and risks crossing a line'.
asserted
Russia → say → line
He told the BBC: 'I'm very clear that this is the most dangerous time I have known in my working life.
'
asserted
I → tell → life
The risks and threats to this country are greater than I have known since the Cold War.'
asserted
I → know → War
Lord West, former First Sea Lord and Labour security minister, said it was 'unacceptable' and 'very worrying' that Astute subs are out of action.
asserted
subs → say → action
'The attack submarines are fundamental for looking after our ballistic missile submarines,' he added.
asserted
he → look → submarines
'They are fundamental for frightening and terrifying the Russians.
asserted
They → frighten → Russians
'The fact that there has not been money invested in dry docks, in the maintenance facilities, in the men required to maintain and repair the submarines, in the spare parts for those submarines is why we have got to this position.
asserted
we → invest → position
'It is just unacceptable and puts us in a very difficult position.
asserted
It → put → position
If we haven't even got an attack submarine available for use, then things are looking pretty bad.'
asserted
things → get → use
The Aporia
