Australian Crew to Embark on HMS Anson, Royal Navy's Latest Nuclear-powered Submarine

A complement of Australian submariners will embark on HMS Anson, the fifth of seven Astute class submarines which was officially commissioned into the Royal Navy on August 31.

“Built in a UK shipyard, HMS Anson demonstrates the very best of British industry, sustaining our world-leading sub-surface capabilities and underlining the UK’s readiness to contribute them to shared security, especially with our closest allies Australia and the United States under the AUKUS initiative,” UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace said.

The traditional naval ceremony was attended by the submarine's Lady Sponsor, Mrs Julie Weale, the Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and the UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, who said: “Today is a significant milestone in the UK and Australia’s preparation to confront growing threats to the liberal democratic order, especially in the Indo Pacific."

“Not only have we progressed our defence planning but Minister Marles participated in the commissioning of our latest attack submarine, on which Royal Australian Navy submariners will be embarked as we develop our shared capabilities in the years ahead.

BAE Systems has delivered the first four submarines in the Astute class which are currently in service with the Royal Navy. The sixth and seventh boats are at an advanced stage of construction in Barrow.

In addition to the Astute class, the Dreadnought class submarines, which will replace the Royal Navy's Vanguard class, carrying the UK's independent nuclear deterrent, are also being designed and built in Barrow. Manufacturing work is well under way on the first two of four Dreadnought submarines, with the first of class due to enter service in the early 2030s.

The third programme being undertaken by BAE Systems is for the Royal Navy's next generation of submarines which will eventually replace the Astute class, referred to as SSN-Replacement (SSNR). Early design and concept work formally began following an £85m contract award by the Ministry of Defence in 2021.