HMS Agamemnon Arrives at Faslane to Begin Sea Trials

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HMS Agamemnon, the sixth Astute-class attack submarine, at her formal naming ceremony in Barrow-in-Furness
HMS Agamemnon at her formal naming ceremony in Barrow-in-Furness in April 2024. The sixth Astute-class attack submarine arrived at her homeport of HMNB Clyde on 2 October 2026. (Royal Navy photograph)


HMS Agamemnon Arrives at Faslane to Begin Sea Trials

The Royal Navy's newest attack submarine has reached her home port. HMS Agamemnon arrived at HM Naval Base Clyde at Faslane on 2 October 2026, a week after leaving the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness for the first time.

The sixth of seven Astute-class hunter-killer submarines was met by members of the Submarine Flotilla, alongside Director Submarines Rear Admiral Andy Perks, Naval Base Commander Clyde Commodore Andy Bray, and Commander of the Submarine Flotilla Commodore Ben Haskins.

Key facts

  • Vessel: HMS Agamemnon (S124), the sixth of seven Astute-class attack submarines
  • Arrived: HMNB Clyde, Faslane, on 2 October 2026
  • Sailed from Barrow: 25 September 2026
  • Next phase: Sea trials and operational preparation over the coming weeks and months
  • Crew: Around 100 Royal Navy submariners
  • Commanding Officer: Commander John Gabb

A warm welcome on the Clyde

Agamemnon's first voyage from her "place of birth" in Barrow has ended with her first arrival at Faslane, the home of the Royal Navy's submarine service. Since leaving Cumbria, the crew has been putting the high-tech vessel through her paces at sea, testing her performance, manoeuvrability, speed and general seaworthiness.

"The arrival of HMS Agamemnon at HM Naval Base Clyde is a significant milestone for the Royal Navy," said Rear Admiral Perks. "Her delivery reflects the dedication, skill and collaboration of thousands of people across our Defence Nuclear Enterprise, who have worked together to build one of the world's most capable attack submarines and deliver a formidable warfighting capability for the United Kingdom.

"As she begins a demanding programme of sea trials and operational preparation, I am delighted to welcome the Submarine and her Ship's Company to their new home on the Clyde, and I look forward to seeing them join the operational fleet in due course."

The timing gave the arrival a neat historical footnote. Agamemnon came alongside Faslane exactly 125 years to the day since the Royal Navy's first submarine, Holland 1, was launched, a coincidence the Navy highlighted in its announcement.

First dive at sea

The journey north gave the crew its first taste of operating the boat properly. Agamemnon's first dive at sea was conducted in the Inner Hebrides Exercise Areas, watched over by a Royal Navy Merlin helicopter.

Commander Gabb said: "It is an enormous privilege to be the first person to command this vessel at sea. We will get to know Agamemnon well over the coming months, but this submarine is incredibly quiet, has a world-class Sonar and will be home to us all as we generate for operations.

"The first dive for any submarine is a significant achievement in its generation. While this time we were being supported by a Merlin helicopter, it will not be long before we are conducting realistic pre-operational training using the same aircraft to simulate the enemy.

"Next time we will be pushing the crew and the submarine to its maximum potential to operate undetected."

Over the coming months the programme will extend to weapons testing and full crew training before the boat is accepted into operational service.

The boat and the class

Agamemnon's keel was laid in July 2013, which means more than 13 years passed between the start of construction and her first voyage. She was formally commissioned by His Majesty King Charles III on 22 September 2025, and completed her first trim dive in October 2025, submerging about 15 metres in BAE's Devonshire Dock Hall.

The Astute class is described by the Royal Navy as the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines the service has ever operated. They are the first class fitted without optical periscopes, using high-specification video technology to scan the horizon instead. The Navy says they are the quietest submarines it has ever built, able to circumnavigate the globe completely submerged while creating their own oxygen and drinking water.

Their arsenal includes the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile, able to strike ground targets hundreds of miles inland with pinpoint accuracy, and the Spearfish torpedo, which can attack targets up to 30 miles away at low speed.

Five sister boats, HMS Astute, Ambush, Artful, Audacious and Anson, are already in service. The seventh and final boat of the class, HMS Achilles, is under construction at Barrow. The MOD says the Astute class will eventually be succeeded by up to 12 SSN-AUKUS boats from the late 2030s, with steel for the first of class due to be cut at Barrow next year.

Why it matters

Britain's attack submarines are among the most heavily tasked vessels in the fleet. They support the continuous at-sea deterrent, escort the carrier strike group on deployment, and conduct intelligence-gathering and covert missions for the UK and NATO.

Analysis: Every additional hull matters. Submarine availability has been one of the Navy's persistent weak points, and getting six of seven Astutes in or approaching service eases pressure on crews and boats alike. The Navy Lookout specialist site estimates, by comparison with HMS Anson's trials, that Agamemnon could be operationally ready in the latter part of 2027, though the Ministry of Defence does not publish in-service dates for individual submarines.

Commodore Haskins said: "Welcoming HMS Agamemnon, the newest submarine of the Flotilla into her new home at HM Naval Base Clyde is a special moment for our Service. To get here the crew have conducted themselves with the professionalism and dedication that is expected from every one of our submariners.

"Today's milestone marks the first step on a journey which will soon see this outstanding boat delivering high-tempo operations across the globe."

What is known and what is not

Known: the arrival date, the welcoming party, the scope of the trials programme, the vessel's specifications and history, and the official statements above. Not disclosed: the exact timetable for Agamemnon's entry into full operational service, which the MOD does not publish for individual submarines. Sea trials, weapons testing and crew training will determine the pace.

What happens next

Agamemnon will remain at HMNB Clyde while the trials programme runs its course over the coming weeks and months. Progress will be measured against the testing regime each new boat must pass before she is formally accepted into the operational fleet, at which point she will join her five sisters on the front line of the Navy's underwater operations. Attention in Barrow now turns further towards HMS Achilles, the last of the Astutes.

Conclusion

From laying of the keel in 2013 to her arrival at Faslane in 2026, HMS Agamemnon's journey has been a long one. But the arrival of "Awesome Aggie" on the Clyde, 125 years to the day after Holland 1's launch, moves the Royal Navy one step closer to the full attack submarine force it has been building towards for decades.

Related reading

Sources

  • Royal Navy: "HMS Agamemnon arrives at Faslane", 2 October 2026: royalnavy.mod.uk
  • GOV.UK / Ministry of Defence: "Sixth powerful attack submarine departs Barrow-in-Furness for sea trials", 25 September 2026: gov.uk
  • The Glasgow Reporter: "HMS Agamemnon arrives at HM Naval Base Clyde": theglasgowreporter.co.uk
  • Navy Lookout: "Royal Navy's newest attack submarine HMS Agamemnon leaves shipyard after 13 years under construction": navylookout.com

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