Construction begins on UK nuclear submarines

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has announced that construction is set to start on the UK’s new nuclear submarines, as the government pledges almost £1.3 billion of new investment with BAE Systems.

Delivery Phase 1 will involve beginning manufacturing work on structural steel work for the ‘auxiliary machine space’ of the first submarine: this contains switchboards and control panels for the reactor.

The money will also be spent furthering the design of the submarine, purchasing materials and long lead items, and investing in facilities at the BAE Systems yard in Barrow-in-Furness where the submarines will be built.

Fallon commented: “Britain’s ballistic missile submarines are the ultimate guarantee of our nation’s safety – we use them every day to deter the most extreme threats. We cannot know what new dangers we might face in the 2030s, 2040s and 2050s so we are acting now to replace them.

“Along with increasing the defence budget to buy new ships, planes and armoured vehicles, this shows that this government will never gamble with our national security.”

Tony Douglas, chief executive officer of the MOD’s Defence Equipment and Support organisation, said: “A central part of this nation’s Defence, the Successor submarines will protect each and every one of us, as well as future generations.

“The Successor programme is the MOD’s biggest project and it will require team work, tremendous skill, commitment from our industrial partners and the UK supply chain, and close collaboration with our US allies to deliver it successfully.”