The Astute-class subs are the biggest and baddest attack submarines ever built for Great Britain’s Royal Navy
As I noted in an April 11, 2025, article for The National Interest titled “The Royal Navy’s New Astute-class Submarine Is Nearing Active Service,” the Astute-class subs are the biggest and baddest (in terms of technological advancements, that is) attack submarines ever built for Great Britain’s Royal Navy (RN). That article focused specifically on the newest addition to the Anson fleet, the HMS Anson (Pennant No. S123), which was launched on April 20, 2021, and commissioned on August 31, 2022.
Meanwhile, the lead boat of the class, the eponymous HMS Astute (S119)—launched on June 8, 2007, and commissioned on August 27, 2010—is making some new waves both literally and metaphorically, via a rare operational photo op.
HMS Astute at Sea
This rare photo op comes to us courtesy of Navy Lookout, in an April 29, 2025, article titled “HMS Astute participates in first photo exercise of the 2025 carrier strike group deployment.” As might be surmised from the title, the article is centered around the photographs while detailed textual information is comparatively sparse (apparently taking to heart the proverb that “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
That said, here’s the textual background information that the article does provide (and in the process gives the reader an appreciation for the significance of the photo gallery):
“The RN has confirmed HMS Astute is a participant in Operation HIGHMAST and was officially named in the photos showing the group formed up together off the coast of Portugal on 28th April … Images of RN submarines at sea are increasingly rare. The RN never actually named the boats that participated in the CSG21 deployment (also HMS Astute, together with HMS Ambush) … Command of the UKCSG has now been ‘chopped’ to NATO as the group is now participating in exercise Neptune Strike 2025. The CSG was joined by Portuguese frigate, NRP Bartolomeu Dias, and the ships transited the Gibraltar Strait today on their way into the Mediterranean.”
The biggest warship appearing in the photos, in terms of both physical size and geopolitical power projection capabilities, is the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (R09), the fleet flagship of the RN. Indeed, out of the six photos in which Astute is depicted, the Prince of Wales also appears; one of those pics is accompanied by the caption “The capital ships of the fleet – SSN and the Aircraft Carrier.” As an added bonus, one can also see multiple U.S.-made F-35B fighter jets on the deck of the carrier.
Two of the photos are strictly focused on the Astute. Both providing an impressive portside/bowside view of the submarine; if you look closely enough, you can see a few of the ship’s officers atop the conning tower as the RN ensign (officially dubbed the White Ensign and was formerly known as the St. George’s Ensign) flutters proudly in the ocean breeze. One of the pics is accompanied by the caption “HMS Astute sailed from Devonport ahead of the rest of the group on 21st April.”
Other Familiar Faces in Operation HIGHMAST
At least one other RN warship, whose name should be familiar to TNI readers, participated in the exercise: HMS Dauntless (Pennant No. D33). Dauntless is a member of the Daring-class (aka the Type 45 or less formally the “D” class) guided missile destroyer fleet. The Darings’ proponents within the RN proudly declare them to be the “pride of the naval fleet,” though I imagine the crews of Astute and Prince of Wales alike might respectfully dispute that claim.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr
Christian D. Orr was previously a Senior Defense Editor for National Security Journal (NSJ) and 19FortyFive. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He has also been published in The Daily Torch, The Journal of Intelligence and Cyber Security, and Simple Flying. Last but not least, he is a Companion of the Order of the Naval Order of the United States (NOUS). If you’d like to pick his brain further, you can ofttimes find him at the Old Virginia Tobacco Company (OVTC) lounge in Manassas, Virginia, partaking of fine stogies and good quality human camaraderie.
Image: LA(Phot) Paul Halliwell/MOD, OGL v1.0, Wikimedia Commons.
