Astute vs Vanguard

The Astute and the Vanguard are both Submarine classes. The Vanguard displaces 15,900 tons — 2.1x the Astute's 7,400 tons. The Astute reaches 10 knots vs 15 knots for the Vanguard. Operational range is 99,999 nautical miles for the Astute vs 99,999 for the Vanguard. The Astute carries a crew of 98 vs 135 for the Vanguard. Submerged displacement is 7,800 tons for the Astute vs 15,900 tons for the Vanguard. The Astute can dive to 300 m compared to 300 m for the Vanguard. The Astute was produced in 6 units vs 4 for the Vanguard. Cost per hull is $2,112M for the Astute vs $4,800M for the Vanguard. The Astute was commissioned in 2010, 17 years after the Vanguard (1993).

British nuclear-powered submarine, 7,400 tons displacement, entered service in 2010.
Profile of Astute
Origin 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Category Submarine
Type Nuclear-powered attack submarine
Manufacturer BAE Systems Submarines
Year introduced 2010
Number built 6 units
Estimated unit price $2,112 million
British submarine, introduced in 1993, propelled by a Rolls-Royce PWR2 nuclear reactor.
Profile of Vanguard
Origin 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Category Submarine
Type Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine
Manufacturer Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering
Year introduced 1993
Number built 4 units
Estimated unit price $4,800 million
Displacement 7,400 tons
Maximum speed 10.0 knots
Range Unlimited
Length 97.0 m
Beam 11.3 m
Crew 98
Max depth 300 m
Propulsion 1 × Rolls-Royce PWR2 nuclear reactor; MTU 600 kilowatt diesel generators
Armament
  • 6 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes
  • Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles
  • Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes
Displacement 15,900 tons
Maximum speed 15.0 knots
Range Unlimited
Length 149.9 m
Beam 12.8 m
Crew 135
Max depth 300 m
Propulsion 1 × Rolls-Royce PWR2 nuclear reactor, 2 × GEC turbines; 27,500 shp (20.5 MW), 1 × shaft, pump jet propulsor, 2 × auxiliary retractable propulsion motors, 2 × Allen turbo generators (6 MW), 2 × Paxman diesel alternators; 2,700 shp (2.0 MW)
Armament
  • 4 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes for Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes
  • 16 × ballistic missile tubes for Lockheed Trident II D5 SLBMs

Performance Radar Chart

Frequently Asked Questions

Which has greater displacement, the Astute-class or Vanguard-class?
The Vanguard-class has greater displacement at 15,900 tons compared to the Astute-class's 7,400 tons.
Which is faster, the Astute-class or Vanguard-class?
The Vanguard-class is faster with a maximum speed of 15 knots compared to the Astute-class's 10 knots.
Which has longer range, the Astute-class or Vanguard-class?
Both the Astute-class and Vanguard-class are nuclear-powered and have unlimited range, limited only by food supplies and crew endurance.
Which is longer, the Astute-class or Vanguard-class?
The Vanguard-class is longer at 149.9 meters compared to the Astute-class's 97.0 meters.
How many crew members do the Astute-class and Vanguard-class have?
The Vanguard-class has a larger crew complement of 135 compared to the Astute-class's 98 crew members.
Which can dive deeper, the Astute-class or Vanguard-class?
The Vanguard-class can dive deeper with a maximum depth of 300 meters compared to the Astute-class's 300 meters.
Which is more expensive, the Astute-class or Vanguard-class?
The Vanguard-class is more expensive at approximately $4.8 billion per unit compared to the Astute-class at $2.1 billion.
Which has been built in greater numbers, the Astute-class or Vanguard-class?
The Astute-class has been built in greater numbers with 6 vessels compared to 4 vessels of the Vanguard-class.