Royal Navy's £1.3bn 'hunter-killer' submarine ready after secret tests at US Navy's 'Area 51'
The Royal Navy is preparing to deploy its £1.3billion 'hunter-killer' submarine, the HMS Anson, following weapons tests in the Atlantic and a visit to the US's maritime equivalent of 'Area 51'.
The HMS Anson is the latest addition to the Navy's Astute-class of nuclear-powered vessels, which are capable of circumnavigating the globe completely submerged, making it the most advanced yet.
This formidable vessel can launch long-range Tomahawk missiles to strike land targets as well as Spearfish torpedoes to combat enemy submarines, making the Astute-class the largest in the underwater fleet.
HMS Anson has undergone trials off the east coast of the United States and in the Caribbean Sea, testing these capabilities alongside her state-of-the-art systems.
Anson joins her operational sisters: Astute, Ambush, Artful and Audacious in this impressive class, reports the Express.
Before being officially deployed on military operations, the sub will undergo further rigorous tests. Since leaving its shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness in February 2024, Anson has patrolled the UK coastline before sailing further north of Scotland to test her weapons systems.
The Royal Navy describes these drills as consisting of "successful firings of both Spearfish and Tomahawk test missiles" before matters "intensified into the Atlantic as Anson headed to the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) in the waters around the Bahamas."
AUTEC, nestled beside the Tongue of the Ocean's natural marvel—a vast deep-water basin hewn from coral reef—attracts top military tech experts from around the globe.
The facility has earned a reputation as the US Navy's 'Area 51' due to the classified nature of its operations, and it even featured on History Channel's TV show UFO Hunters, where it was touted as a secret alien underwater base.
In truth, the base spans 20 miles in width, stretches 150 miles in length, plunges up to 6,000ft deep in certain areas, and is packed with sophisticated recording gear to collect data on submarines, torpedoes, and sonar.
While the precise outcomes of Anson's trials remain under wraps, the submarine must perform exceptionally well to confirm her capability to track enemy subs undetected. However, it wasn't all about the grind for her crew.
"The opportunity for the majority of the Ship's Company to get to spend a few days on Andros was fantastic," shared one submariner, recounting the experience.
He added, "This afforded us a few days of rest from the sea trials we were conducting and allowed us to spend time on the beach in the sun, relaxing and playing volleyball with base personnel."
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