HMS Ambush (S120)

HMS Ambush (S120) is an Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the Royal Navy. She is the second of seven submarines in her class. The Astute-class are the largest and most advanced attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy, replacing the Trafalgar-class.

Ambush was ordered from BAE Systems Submarines in Barrow-in-Furness, and her keel was laid down in October 2003. She was launched on 6 January 2011 and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 1 March 2013.

Ambush's primary role is to protect the Royal Navy's fleet and provide a covert strike capability. She is equipped with Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs) and Spearfish torpedoes. The submarine is capable of circumnavigating the globe submerged, and is equipped with advanced sonar systems.

In July 2016, Ambush sustained damage to her conning tower in a collision with a merchant vessel during a training exercise off the coast of Gibraltar. The submarine was subsequently repaired in Gibraltar and returned to service.