Navy receives its most advanced sub

Mar 1 2013

Britain's most advanced attack submarine, Ambush, has officially joined the Royal Navy fleet following a ceremony.

Head of the Navy Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope attended the service at Faslane naval base on the Clyde where the 7,400-tonne sub was granted the title HMS Ambush.

Ambush, the second of the Navy's Astute-class attack submarines, was launched in January 2011 at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.

The nuclear-powered submarine arrived at her home port of HM Naval Base Clyde in September last year where she has been undergoing sea trials before entering operational service later this year.

The 97-metre Astute-class submarines are designed for coastal and deep sea tasks and are capable of destroying submarines and surface ships.

HMS Ambush Commanding Officer Peter Green said: "The crew are immensely proud to mark the commissioning and to see the culmination of many months of hard work readying HMS Ambush for service with the Royal Navy.

"The crew are looking forward to the challenges ahead and to exploring the full range of the submarine's capabilities before she enters full operational service later this year."

The vessel's sponsor, Lady Anne Soar, spoke with naval officers during the hour-long ceremony held in bright sunshine.

Around 500 invited guests, among them relatives of the HMS Ambush crew, sang hymns and listened as prayers were read.

Commander Green called on the boat's company to bless the submarine, and the naval men and women turned to face the vessel as God Save The Queen was played by the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, Scotland.