HMS ''Ambush'' is an ''Astute''-class

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of the

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, the second boat of her class. ''Ambush'' is the third vessel, and the second submarine, to bear the name in Royal Naval service. She was ordered in 1997, laid down in 2003 and commissioned in 2013.

Design

Propulsion

''Ambushs nuclear reactor will not need to be refuelled during the boat's 25-year service. Since the submarine can purify water and air, she will be able to circumnavigate the planet without resurfacing. The main limit is that the submarine will only be able to carry three months' supply of food for 98 officers and ratings.

Weapons

''Ambush'' has provision for up-to 38 weapons in six

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s. The submarine is capable of using

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Block IV land-attack missiles with a range of and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes.

Construction and commissioning

''Ambush'' was ordered from GEC's Marconi Marine (now

BAE Systems Submarine Solutions BAE Systems Submarines,BAE Systems Submarine Solutions was split out from BAE Systems Marine and operated as such until January 2012. It was named BAE Systems Maritime - Submarines until 2017 before it became BAE Systems Submarines. is a whol ...

) on 17 March 1997. She was

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on 22 October 2003, officially named on 16 December 2010, launched on 6 January 2011, completed her initial dive test on 30 September 2011, and departed Barrow for sea trials on 15 September 2012. ''Ambush'' was commissioned in a ceremony at HM Naval Base Clyde on 1 March 2013.

Operational history

Following her commissioning, ''Ambush'' continued sea trials throughout much of 2013. In May 2013, she carried out berthing trials with forward support ship and, in August 2013, she successfully conducted her first live torpedo and cruise missile firings. In October 2014, ''Ambush'' completed a maiden deployment to the United States, visiting Brazil's

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along the way and taking part in its submarine force's centenary celebrations. In April 2015, ''Ambush'' participated in

Exercise Joint Warrior Exercise Joint Warrior is a major biannual multi-national military exercise which takes place in the United Kingdom, predominately in north west Scotland. It is the successor of the Neptune Warrior exercises and Joint Maritime Course. Joint W ...

, the largest military exercise held in Europe, alongside 55 other naval ships of NATO navies. She further participated in Exercise Dynamic Manta 15.

Collision

On 20 July 2016, while surfacing on an exercise in the Strait of Gibraltar, ''Ambush'' collided with the Panama-flagged merchant ship , sustaining significant damage to the top of her conning tower where some of her sonar equipment is housed. It was reported that no crew members were injured during the collision and that the submarine's nuclear reactor section remained completely undamaged. Repairs cost £2.1 million and the commander, who was training a group of students at the time, was sentenced to forfeiting a year of seniority for negligently hazarding the vessel.

Affiliations

''Ambush'' is affiliated to: * The city of

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby g ...

* The Dolphin ward of

Royal Derby Hospital Royal Derby Hospital is one of two teaching hospitals in the city of Derby, the other being the London Road Community Hospital. It is managed by the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust. History The original hospital o ...

* Bemrose School Derby * The Sea Cadet unit TS ''Kenya'' * Rolls-Royce Marine Division, Derby * Royal Naval Association, Derby Submariners' Association, Derby branch *

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References

External links

Royal Navy HMS ''Ambush''
(royalnavy.mod.uk) {{DEFAULTSORT:Ambush (S120) Astute-class submarines Ships built in Barrow-in-Furness 2011 ships Submarines of the United Kingdom Non-combat naval accidents British submarine accidents