I like to talk to myself.
The
launch last Friday (8 June 07) of HMS
Astute, our next generation attack submarine is worthy of note for a number of reasons. The project was delayed - partly by the skill fade at Barrow between the design/build of the last of the
Trafalgar and
Vanguard boats and the start of
Astute work. A lesson for other naval projects, like CVF? Secondly, it is an example of what some may have considered a Cold War asset adapting to life in the new international situation. See
SSN roles.
Finally, there will be less SSNs (or is it SSGN now that they have TLAM?) than before, which may cause trouble for Fleet planners.
On the subject of TLAM - could Tomahawk/TACTOM be used for defence suppresion?