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Britain's Royal Navy's newest super-submarine, Astute, was launched last week by HRH Duchess of Cornwall at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow, Cumbria, in the United Kingdom. Astute is the first nuclear submarine to be launched in the UK for almost a decade. Built using the latest and most advanced naval engineering techniques, her construction has been described as more complex than that of the space shuttle.

Lord Drayson, Britain's minister for defense equipment and support, said: "I am delighted to be here to see the launch of Astute. She is the first of a class of hugely impressive vessels that will give the Royal Navy the world class capability it needs to protect the UK and her interests across the globe in the 21st century."

Astute will be equipped with advanced cruise missiles and torpedoes that will provide her with more firepower than any previous British attack submarine. The submarine will enter service with the Royal Navy in 2009 and will be based in Scotland. She is expected to be a crucial part of the UK's naval defense forces for the next 25 years.

Far bigger and more potent than the current class of attack submarines, the Astute is 328 feet long and weighs 7400 tons. Because she will never need to be refueled, and due to her advanced on-board life support systems, the Astute will be able to circumnavigate the globe without needing to surface. Astute is the first vessel of four in the Astute class. The other three will be named the Ambush, the Artful and the Audacious.