Black to black - HMS Triumph gets up close and personal with Astute, the Royal Navy\'s newest submarine

Creeping stealthily through the channel between the Isles of Arran and Great Cumbrae, the sleek, awesome Astute found a moment during her continuing sea trials to spend time with HMS Triumph in the Firth of Clyde, creating this great double take moment.

Launched in 1991 and accepted into service in the same year, HMS Triumph has just completed a multi-million pound refit in Devonport and is currently undergoing a period of sea training.

Astute herself has been undergoing a relentless programme of trials since her arrival on the Clyde in November 2009, including completion of her first dives, all in advance of acceptance into the fleet.

For more than a century, the Royal Navy's submarines have played a pivotal role in UK joint military operations, and they continue to exert the same modern, relevance today.

Attack submarines like Astute and HMS Triumph play an integral part in protecting the UK's strategic nuclear deterrent, anti-submarine warfare, covert surveillance, anti-surface and shipping warfare, supporting Special Forces, and land attack with Tomahawk missiles.

This dramatic image was captured by the Royal Navy's search and rescue team from HMS Gannet while on exercise nearby - the Senior Service out in force.

Astute is the largest attack submarine ever built for the Royal Navy and she will spend her 25 year lifespan with Faslane as her home port.  Her new Core H reactor never needs to be refuelled and her much increased firepower makes her one of the UK's most potent means of maritime defence.

Sent by:
Fiona Holland, UK Regional Media and Communications Officer, Royal Navy
01436 674321 Faslane x6623

Picture shows HMS Triumph (foreground) and Astute off the coast of Arran - picture by HMS Gannet (to view this please go to the link below):

http://nds.coi.gov.uk/ImageLibrary/detail.aspx?MediaDetailsID=1742