Overview

• The Royal Navy announced that the seventh Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarine will now be called HMS Achilles instead of HMS Agincourt.
• Critics, including former defence secretaries Grant Shapps and Gavin Williamson, have labeled the renaming as 'woke nonsense' and an erasure of British military history.
• Speculation suggests the name change was made to avoid offending the French, though a Royal Navy spokesperson emphasized its connection to the 80th anniversaries of VE and VJ Day.
• Former defence secretary Ben Wallace dismissed the idea that the French would have been offended, calling the decision a distraction from more pressing defence priorities.
• The Royal Navy stated the name Achilles was approved by the King and reflects a historical legacy, as six previous ships have carried the name, earning notable battle honors.