nuclear-news

British nuclear submarine HMS Astute not very astute at all

The latest embarrassing incident came as the Ministry of Defence conceded that despite bristling with the latest global positioning and eavesdropping systems, the super-sub still relies on paper charts similar to those used in British submarines during the Second World War

HMS Calamity: First it ran aground, then it collided with a tug. Now Britain’s £1.2bn flagship submarine breaks down on its first day back in service, Daily Mail (UK) By Christopher Leake and Andy Whelan 12th December 2010 The troubled Royal Navy nuclear submarine that ran aground off Scotland has broken down on its first day back at sea.

The £1.2 billion HMS Astute – flagship of the Navy’s submarine fleet – was forced to limp back into its home port of Faslane on Friday after a mechanical failure during sea trials the previous day off the coast of Scotland, naval sources revealed.Last night experts identified a fault in the steam plant, which affected the propulsion and the desalination system that makes sea water drinkable for the vessel’s 90 crew.
The latest embarrassing incident came as the Ministry of Defence conceded that despite bristling with the latest global positioning and eavesdropping systems, the super-sub still relies on paper charts similar to those used in British submarines during the Second World War.Insiders said cuts in defence spending mean that although electronic charting is fitted in some Royal Navy ships, it will not be installed in Astute until next year.HMS Astute is the first of seven new nuclear-powered submarines of its class and will undergo repairs over the weekend. The Navy hopes it will be back at sea this week.
The breakdown near the Western Isles came just seven weeks after Astute ran aground off the Isle of Skye and had to wait for high tide before it could be refloated and towed away.During the rescue, a tug collided with the submarine, damaging its starboard side.The repairs cost £7 million. Astute’s captain, Commander Andy Coles, was relieved of his command at the end of November. An official service inquiry, which has just been completed, is expected to blame human error for the grounding.The latest incident happened on the first day the submarine’s new captain, Commander Iain Breckenridge, took charge of the 7,800-ton vessel, which carries Tomahawk cruise missiles.HMS Calamity: First it ran aground, then it collided with a tug. Now Britain’s £1.2bn flagship submarine breaks down on its first day back in service | Mail Online

December 13, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, UK