HMS Agamemnon, 91 Guns, shipping the English Portion of the Atlantic Submarine Cable at East Greenwich - ILN 1857.jpg — Photo: Frederick James Smyth / After Edwin Weedon, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (cropped, sureno.ai mark added)

HMS Agamemnon: What the Royal Navy Submarine Does

The nuclear-powered submarine has reached Faslane and will undergo sea trials and preparation before taking on its role in the Royal Navy.

WorldOctober 6, 20263 min readHow Sureno writes this

The short version

HMS Agamemnon is the Royal Navy’s sixth Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, and it arrived at HM Naval Base Clyde at Faslane on 2 October 2026. ¹³
The submarine is built for attack-submarine duties and is equipped with Tomahawk land-attack missiles and torpedoes. ¹
It made its first dive at sea during its voyage from Barrow-in-Furness to Faslane. ¹³
The Navy says it will undergo sea trials and operational preparation at Faslane; the available reports do not give a date for it to enter operational service. ¹

What is HMS Agamemnon?

HMS Agamemnon is a nuclear-powered attack submarine in the Royal Navy’s Astute class. It is the sixth boat in the class, joining HMS Astute, Ambush, Artful, Audacious and Anson. A seventh, HMS Achilles, is under construction, according to the BBC. ¹

The name has also been used by earlier Royal Navy ships: a supplied reference describes this as the sixth vessel to bear it. ⁵

What does a Royal Navy attack submarine do?

An attack submarine is a military submarine intended for operations against targets at sea and on land. The Royal Navy describes Astute-class boats as its most advanced and powerful attack submarines. ¹

Agamemnon carries Tomahawk land-attack missiles and torpedoes, according to the BBC. These give it ways to engage targets ashore and at sea. The report says the torpedoes can strike targets up to 30 miles away; it does not give further detail about the submarine’s capabilities or the conditions behind that figure. ¹

Where is HMS Agamemnon now?

Agamemnon arrived on the River Clyde at HM Naval Base Clyde, commonly known as Faslane, on 2 October 2026, after leaving Barrow-in-Furness. Faslane is the Royal Navy’s home of the submarine service in Scotland. ²³

The arrival was not the same as becoming fully operational. The Royal Navy’s stated next steps are sea trials and operational preparation. ¹

Has HMS Agamemnon been to sea?

Yes. During its passage north from Barrow, the submarine made its first dive at sea in the Inner Hebrides exercise areas before reaching Faslane. ¹³

Navy Lookout reports that the boat had previously undergone a controlled trim dive in the Barrow basin in October 2025, but that was not a dive at sea. The organisation says Agamemnon began trials earlier in its delivery voyage than two earlier Astute-class boats. ³

What happens next?

The submarine is expected to undergo sea trials and operational preparation at Faslane. These stages allow work and testing to continue after the vessel reaches its home base. ¹

The sources provided do not say when Agamemnon will complete this process or be declared ready for operational duties. Navy Lookout suggests the earlier start to trials may reduce the time needed, but presents this as a possibility rather than a confirmed timetable. ³

What we don't know yet

When HMS Agamemnon will complete sea trials and operational preparation.
When the submarine will be declared ready for operational service.
What specific assignments it will receive once it is operational.

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Questions people ask

Is HMS Agamemnon nuclear-powered?

Yes. It is a nuclear-powered Astute-class attack submarine of the Royal Navy. ¹

Where is HMS Agamemnon based?

It has arrived at HM Naval Base Clyde at Faslane, the Royal Navy’s home of the submarine service in Scotland. Sea trials and operational preparation are planned there. ¹²

What weapons does HMS Agamemnon carry?

The BBC reports that it is equipped with Tomahawk land-attack missiles and torpedoes. The report says the torpedoes can strike targets up to 30 miles away. ¹

Has HMS Agamemnon completed sea trials?

The available reports say it will undergo sea trials and operational preparation after arriving at Faslane. It made its first dive at sea on the voyage north, but the sources do not say that its trials are complete. ¹³

How many Astute-class submarines are in the Royal Navy?

The BBC lists six Astute-class submarines in the Navy’s fleet, including Agamemnon. It also reports that HMS Achilles, a seventh boat, is under construction. ¹

Sources

Royal Navy's new attack submarine arrives at Faslane — BBC News
Royal Navy — royalnavy.mod.uk
Royal Navy submarine HMS Agamemnon arrives at Faslane after first dive at sea - Navy Lookout — Navy Lookout - Independent Royal Navy news and analysis, 2026-10-03
HMS Agamemnon (S124) — Wikipedia

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