Audacious is the fourth of the seven Astute Class submarines being built for the Royal Navy.
Mr Cameron visited HMS Victorious, one of the Royal Navy's Vanguard-class submarines, which is returning from its 100th patrol.
If the go-ahead is given any of the Royal Navy's 15 Trafalgar-class or Swiftsure-class submarines could visit Southampton - as well as foreign submarines carrying nuclear weapons.
Mr Cameron had earlier visited HMS Victorious, one of the Royal Navy's four Vanguard-class submarines which keep Trident nuclear missiles continuously at sea, which is returning from its 100th patrol.
Further write-offs loom over two contracts, for Nimrod marine-surveillance aircraft and new Astute-class nuclear submarines.
As a young man, I bought myself a ticket on the Isle of Wight ferry, and sailed through the lines of warships at anchor in the Solent - there were lines of Leander class frigates, 'O' class diesel submarines, and minesweepers.
China has bought 12 Russian Kilo-class diesel attack submarines.
Devonport is home to the Royal Navy's seven Trafalgar-class nuclear-powered submarines and has four decommissioned nuclear submarines awaiting dismantling.
The ongoing revamp is timed to coincide with the arrival in 2009 of the new Astute class of hunter killer submarines, currently being built at Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria.
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Meanwhile, the four Lada-class diesel-electric submarines will be jointly designed and built by both countries, with two of them to be built in Russia and the other two in China.
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According to recent news reports, Russia is seeking to begin deploying a new class of ballistic missile submarines and their Bulava missiles before the end of 2012, preceded by sea trials of both.
William and Catherine, who are known as the Earl and Countess of Strathearn in Scotland, were due to travel to Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, to learn about the new Astute Class of nuclear powered submarines being built for the Royal Navy by BAE Systems.
While this is a significant sum, to be sure, if an apples- to-apples comparison were made, the price of purchasing and operating modern fighter aircraft wings or a class of surface ships or submarines would significantly exceed that associated with a ground-based NMD system.
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The four Trident submarines are the V-class ones, Vanguard, Victorious, Vigilant and Vengeance.
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