The Royal Navy’s HMS Agamemnon Is Set To Undergo Sea Trials

Construction Has Taken Longer Than The Trojan War!

History buffs can take note that while the Trojan War may have lasted upwards of a decade, during which time the Greek forces besieged the fortified city of Troy, the construction of the newest HMS Agamemnon (S124) has dragged on for more than 13 years.

The boat’s keel was laid down on July 18, 2013, and the initial timeline called for the fast attack submarine to enter service by 2022. However, nothing was fast about its construction.

The building of S124 was met with a series of industrial bottlenecks, some the result of the global pandemic, along with shifting workforce priorities as the Royal Navy has prioritized the construction of its newer Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarines.

The UK has faced a post-Cold War loss of specialist submarine-building skills and design expertise, which has resulted in a far smaller pool of skilled labor able to manage the project.

Named For A King, Commissioned By Another Monarch

The departure of HMS Agamemnon comes nearly two years after the attack submarine was rolled out of the Devonshire Dock Hall in October 2024 and soon after lowered into the water for the first time. It was one year ago that the UK’s King Charles III visited the Royal Port of Barrow to oversee the commissioning of the sixth of seven planned Astute-class attack submarines.

It was the first time King Charles III has visited Barrow-in-Furness, England, since the port was granted the title of “Royal” in March 2025, in recognition of the town’s contribution to British national security. During his tour of the port facility, the British monarch was present for the cutting of the first steel for the future HMS King George VI, the fourth and final Dreadnought­class submarine. That boat is named for Charles III’s grandfather, who led the UK through World War II.

The Awesome Astute-Class

Current plans call for HMS Agamemnon to enter service next year, and it has already earned the nickname “Awesome Aggie.” The sixth vessel to bear the name will also certainly be the most powerful to date, as each Astute-class fleet submarine is equipped with world-leading sensors, and it is armed with Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes. And though its crew won’t get to smell the fresh ocean air, the submarine will be able to circumnavigate the globe submerged, while producing its own oxygen and drinking water.

The British boats are the first nuclear-powered submarines in the world to be designed in a 3D computer-aided environment. Each has been outfitted with numerous technological firsts, including the absence of an optical periscope. Instead, high-specification video technology has been employed, which enables the crew to scan the horizon and get a 360-degree view to address any potential threat.

In addition, unlike other nuclear-powered submarines, the Astute-class was developed to utilize state-of-the-art anti-acoustic tiles. Each hull is fitted with more than 39,000 acoustic tiles that mask the vessel’s sonar signature and allow the submarines to glide through the water almost silently. The slight noise the boats give off has actually been compared to that of a “baby dolphin.”

The attack submarines also have stowage for 38 weapons and typically carry a mix of Spearfish heavy torpedoes and Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles, which are capable of hitting a target to within a few meters, with a range of up to 1,000 miles (1,600 km). The submarines’ countermeasures suite includes decoys and electronic support measures (ESM). The boats are also fitted with a dry deck shelter, which allows Special Forces – such as the Royal Marine Commandos or Royal Navy Special Boat Service (SBS) operators to deploy whilst the submarine is submerged.

The final sub of the Astute class, the future HMS Achilles, is now being completed at the BAE Systems Submarines at Barrow-in-Furness. It will be the eighth Royal Navy vessel named the greatest and strongest warrior of the Greek army during the Trojan War. However, the boat was originally to be named HMS Agincourt after the fame 1415 battle that was major English victory during the Hundred Years’ War. The change was reportedly made so as not to upset close ally France, which lost the Battle of Agincourt!

It’s Greek To Us

As noted, five previous Royal Navy warships have been named HMS Agamemnon after the legendary Greek warrior king who commanded the Achaeans during the Trojan War. That has included the 64-gun third-rate ship-of-the-line that participated in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, as well as the Lord Nelson-class pre-dreadnought battleship that saw service in the Dardanelles Campaign of the First World War.

The Royal Navy traditionally named ships after Greek heroes and figures from ancient mythology due to a deep historical respect for the Trojan War, which was famously a seaborne conflict, combined with a strong reverence for classical education among 18th- and 19th-century naval officers.

However, the tradition was taken from the French during the 18th century, and initially retained the French spellings. Thus, there was an HMS Alcide and HMS Achille – the French spelling of “Hercules” and “Achilles” – before the first HMS Hercules and HMS Achilles.

As for why the French and later the Royal Navy embraced the Greeks, it has much to do with the widespread adoration for the Classical era, which began in the late 17th century during the Enlightenment, a period that promoted reason and individualism as a reaction to the ornate Baroque style.

Also known as the “Age of Reason,” the period saw Europeans embrace classical Roman and Greek ideals of clarity, order, and balance. It was seen in art, architecture, and music. It was during this period that the Royal Navy began naming warships after figures from Greek history and mythology.

The traditions have proven difficult to break, and that’s why we’ll see yet another HMS Agamemnon protecting the British Isles.