Documents
United Kingdom BAE Systems
Astute class
Nuclear-powered fleet submarine (SSN) of the Royal Navy, built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness, combining stealth, endurance limited only by crew supplies, and Tomahawk land-attack missile capability with heavyweight torpedoes. Seven boats are planned for the class.
In service since 2010 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
300
m depth
29
kn
7,400
t
98
crew
💲 ≈ $1,900,000,000, Approximate build cost per boat
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
UK export-licensed
Subject to UK SPIRE licensing (ECJU); generally available to allied states.
Channel: Government-to-government or direct
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2010. Status: active · ~5 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$4.8B – $6.7B
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Astute class can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity. | 38 |
|---|---|
| Torpedo tubes Number of torpedo tubes (submarines and some surface ships). | 6 |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 97 m |
|---|
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 1x Rolls-Royce PWR2 nuclear reactor with MTU 600 kW diesel generators |
|---|---|
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Nuclear (pressurised water reactor) |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | Thales Sonar 2076 integrated sonar suite, Atlas DESO 25 echosounder, 2x Thales CM010 optronic masts, Raytheon Successor IFF |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $1,900,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 5 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public BAE Systems and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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Astute class vs
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A26 Blekinge-class Frequently asked questions
What engine does the BAE Systems Astute class use? +
The BAE Systems Astute class is powered by the 1x Rolls-Royce PWR2 nuclear reactor with MTU 600 kW diesel generators.
What is the BAE Systems Astute class used for? +
The BAE Systems Astute class is a submarine typically used for isr, deep strike.
How many countries operate the BAE Systems Astute class? +
The BAE Systems Astute class is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the BAE Systems Astute class cost? +
The BAE Systems Astute class has an approximate unit cost of 1,900,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
Similar systems
Related coverage
Astute class in the news
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