Artful was ordered from GEC's Marconi Marine (now BAE Systems Submarine Solutions) on 17 March 1997, and was constructed at Barrow in Furness.

[7] She was named on 20 September 2013, was rolled out of the shipyard construction hall on 16 May 2014, and was due to start sea trials in early 2015.

[8] Artful made her first successful basin dive in October 2014,[9] and sailed on 13 August 2015 for sea trials.

[15] The submarine is capable of using Tomahawk Block IV land-attack missiles with a range of 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres)[16] and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes.

[17][18] In May 2021, Artful joined UK Carrier Strike Group 21 on its seven-and-a-half month-long maiden operational deployment to the Far East.