Quiet as a Dolphin: The Astute-Class Submarine Summed up in 4 Words

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Not Made in USA: The Astute-class submarines were designed as advanced nuclear-powered attack vessels for the Royal Navy, intended to counter Soviet submarine threats during the Cold War. They are considered by many experts to be as ‘stealth’ as a dolphin. 

-Despite their cutting-edge features, including Tomahawk cruise missiles and Spearfish torpedoes, the program faced significant cost overruns and delays due to a gap in submarine-building expertise and challenges with 3D digital design.

-Assistance from the U.S. Navy and General Dynamics Electric Boat helped resolve issues. The Astute-class also laid the groundwork for the AUKUS pact submarines, reflecting a shift in security priorities toward countering China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.

Astute-Class Submarines: The Costly Cold War Marvel Shaping Future Warfare

The Astute-class submarines are a vital part of the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet. Intended to replace the older Trafalgar-class submarines, the nuclear-powered Astutes are attack submarines optimized to hunt down and destroy other submarines and surface vessels. 

This stands in contrast with the Vanguard class, which, though also nuclear-powered, represents the seabed leg of the United Kingdom’s nuclear triad.

Equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Spearfish torpedoes, the Astute-class can also conduct land attack missions as well as intelligence gathering and underwater reconnaissance. In contrast, the Vanguard class is the linchpin of the United Kingdom’s Continuous At-Sea Deterrence (CASD) policy. 

Carrying Trident ballistic missiles, Vanguard submarines focus on ensuring a constant second-strike capability, deterring nuclear aggression against the UK or its allies.

The genesis of the Astute program was the Soviet Union’s increasingly sophisticated submarine capabilities. Like the United States Navy and their Seawolf-class, the Astutes’ role would be to hunt down enemy submarines. 

With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent end of the Cold War, the types of targets that the Astutes were intended to hunt evaporated. Nonetheless, the class’ ultimate roll-out went forward.

Controversies and Cost Overruns

Capable though the Astute-class may be, the project was significantly marred by exceptional cost overruns and project delays. Originally slated for commissioning in the late 1990s, the Astute program saw significant technical challenges and management problems, leading to an increase in cost of more than £2.5 billion for the first three hulls.

This massive cost increase arose partly from a pause in submarine building in the United Kingdom after the roll-out of the Vanguard-class and subsequent dearth of submarine-building expertise. 

Despite the challenges in knowledge and cost however, six of the seven planned hulls have either been delivered to the Royal Navy or are already under construction.

Astute-Class Goes 3D

Interestingly, the Astute-class was the first nuclear-powered submarine class designed entirely with 3D computer programming. This proved to be problematic.

Integrating multiple systems into a single 3D model caused significant delays, despite the fact that 3D modeling was intended to be a time and cost-saving measure. 

Miscommunications between the design and manufacturing teams also proved to be difficult, as their effort marked the first time a digital-only design process had been attempted.

In order to rectify the 3D design issues, the British Ministry of Defense solicited the help of the United States Navy and General Dynamics Electric Boat, which had significantly more experience designing and building nuclear-powered submarines despite the relative newness of digital design processes.

AUSKUS Relationship

Although the Astute-class has not yet been introduced service in its entirety, thought has already been given to the class’ successor: the next-generation AUKUS hulls.

As part of the trilateral AUKUS pact between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, the submarines will eventually enter service with the Royal Australian Navy. Compared to the current Astutes, the AUKUS hulls will feature enhancements to their stealth capabilities and overall capabilities. 

Although both the United States and the United Kingdom both have many decades of experience building, operating, and maintaining nuclear-powered submarines, the AUKUS class represents a new chapter for Australia, as well as a new chapter for UK-US-Australian relations. 

It’s also a reflection of the changed security environment in Asia — and the high level of concern coming from Canberra toward the threat posed by an increasingly bellicose and bombastic China.

Despite the controversies surrounding the Astute-class — particularly ballooning costs — the class’ ultimate success allowed the Royal Navy to emerge from the Cold War with a modernized, nuclear-powered class of submarines. 

As the Astutes eventually retire, they will have paved the way for closer security cooperation with both Australia and the United States.

About the Author: Caleb Larson 

Caleb Larson is an American multiformat journalist based in Berlin, Germany. His work covers the intersection of conflict and society, focusing on American foreign policy and European security. He has reported from Germany, Russia, and the United States. Most recently, he covered the war in Ukraine, reporting extensively on the war’s shifting battle lines from Donbas and writing on the war’s civilian and humanitarian toll. Previously, he worked as a Defense Reporter for POLITICO Europe. You can follow his latest work on X.