Yesterday, HMS Audacious (S122) set sail for the first time- marking a significant milestone for BAE Systems naval engineering division.

The Royal Navy have thus far maintained that the 97 metres, 7,400-tonne Astute-class Attack Submarines are the most powerful in service thus far with the Royal Navy. Audacious will be fitted to carry up to 38 weapons in six torpedo tubes in addition to variable mission equipment such as scuba pods or deployable drones. Currently, armaments will include the £870,000 each Tomahawk Block IV land-attack Missile and the proven Spearfish Heavy Torpedo system- which itself was upgraded at a cost of £270 million by BAE Systems in 2014. Most impressively, Audacious's Rolls Royce Turbine nuclear reactor will not need to be refuelled throughout the submarines's intended 25-year tenure. The submarine's reactor system passively purifies water and air, and she will be able to fully circumnavigate the globe without surfacing. 

Of the class- the first three submarines, HMS Astute, HMS Ambush and HMS Artful are in active deployment, whilst the final three Astutes on order are still under construction at Barrow Shipyards. With a long list of orders and global contracts- BAE Systems has traded at a solid 537.40 GBX this week, offering solid positions for any crypto-enthusiasts seeking to strengthen their position in the defence industry.