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United Kingdom BAE Systems
Astute class
Nuclear-powered fleet submarine (SSN) of the Royal Navy, built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness, combining stealth, endurance limited only by crew supplies, and Tomahawk land-attack missile capability with heavyweight torpedoes. Seven boats are planned for the class.
In service since 2010 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
29
kn
7,400
t
98
crew
💲 ≈ $1,900,000,000, Approximate build cost per boat
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
UK export-licensed
Subject to UK SPIRE licensing (ECJU); generally available to allied states.
Channel: Government-to-government or direct
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2010. Status: active · ~5 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$4.8B – $6.7B
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Astute class can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Torpedo tubes
Number of torpedo tubes (submarines and some surface ships).
- 6 Stronger than 53% of submarines
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 97 m
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $1,900,000,000 Stronger than 39% of submarines
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 5 Stronger than 48% of submarines
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 1 Stronger than 39% of submarines
Specifications compiled from public BAE Systems and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Rubin Design Bureau Borei-class Frequently asked questions
What is the BAE Systems Astute class used for? +
The BAE Systems Astute class is a submarine typically used for isr, deep strike.
How many countries operate the BAE Systems Astute class? +
The BAE Systems Astute class is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the BAE Systems Astute class cost? +
The BAE Systems Astute class has an approximate unit cost of 1,900,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
