HMS Astute, the Royal Navy’s most advanced nuclear submarine, was delivered 43 months behind schedule and £900 million over budget. Then during trials in October, it ran aground off the Isle of Skye. It was also in a collision with the tug that came to help pull it off. In December, the sub was idled by mechanical failures. Then in the beginning of April, a disgruntled sailor shot and killed one ship’s officer and wounded another while the ship was on publci relations call in Southhampton. The ship that the British papers had begun to call “HMS Calamity” is now being referred to as “jinxed.”
Today, we learn that the sub has been towed back to base after suffering a serious failure in its hydraulic system. The newspapers are pointing out that had the such a failure could have ” killed its entire crew.”
Jinxed nuclear submarine’s malfunction could have killed its entire crew
The hi-tech stealth vessel was taken to the Faslane Naval Base on the Clyde late on Friday when it suffered “a technical issue with hydraulics”, according to a Ministry of Defence (MoD) source.
“This needs to be fixed to make sure it can dive properly,” the source said. “It could take days, or it could take weeks.”
Experts say that the boat’s hydroplanes, which enable it to dive or surface, are hydraulically controlled. If they fail, the boat could be lost, along with its entire crew of 98
In our national game being baseball three strikes and you are out. However the Brits play cricket that game goes on and on and on, often until stumps are drawn due to poor light. Has the sun set on “Astute” or do we wait until the final “calamity”.
Good Watch.
What is a bit scary is that she was supposed to be the first of seven. One hopes they are not all just like her. HMS Ambush is currently fitting out.
nice blog