The government has stated that there are currently no plans to use Gibraltar for the dry docking of Royal Navy nuclear submarines.
Responding to a written question from Lord West of Spithead, Defence Minister Lord Coaker said that “analysis of docking capacity for the maintenance of submarines and warships is the subject of ongoing analysis as part of the Royal Navy’s planning process.”
He added that “the Naval Support Integrated Global Network (NSIGN) programme is an integral part of this,” but confirmed that “there are no current plans to mandate the use of Gibraltar for submarine dry docking.”
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that work is underway to upgrade the UK’s submarine docking and maintenance infrastructure to accommodate the next generation of ballistic missile submarines. In response to questions from Graeme Downie MP, then Defence Minister Maria Eagle said that the government is modernising existing dockyards and bases to support the four planned Dreadnought-class submarines, which will replace the current Vanguard-class fleet.
Eagle stated that “for operational security reasons, further details cannot be released as to do so could be used to undermine the security and capability of our Armed Forces.”
She added that the Dreadnought programme “remains on track to manufacture four Dreadnought-class submarines within the original cost estimate of £41 billion, consisting of £31 billion and a contingency of £10 billion.”
The first of the new submarines, HMS Dreadnought, is expected to enter service in the early 2030s, maintaining the UK’s Continuous At-Sea Deterrence into the 2060s.
It’s nice we are building infrastructure for the next generation of submarines. Do we have the infrastructure to maintain the current generation of submarines?
Nope. One of the key reasons we’re in such a poor state regarding the availability of SSN’s and SSNB’s is due to a lack of infrastructure. This is being rectified with project at both Devonport and Faslane.
One of the reasons for this mess was trying to keep fleet / personnel numbers up whilst fighting sandy wars on a peace time budget.
Investment went to the right.
At some point that hollowing out was going to come to roost.
Precisely SB, it will only be resolved when the promised increase in defence spending takes the brakes off all the infrastructure and procurement projects currently being drip fed funding.
Devonport refits were a nightmare whilst i was still serving. 2002 i joined Trenchant in dry dock, followed by Talent in 2005 and Turbulent in between and the lack of dry docks and facilities for maintenance was always a problem. Not to mention the standard of work carried out by DML who ran the yard. Failure to invest in maintenance facilities really has been a massive problem and no doubt a leading cause of the poor availability of the Astute class boats and the length of Bomber patrols.
Same reason the frigate fleet is falling apart. Keep kicking that can down the road.
I wasn’t aware of the graving dock still in Gibraltar
Dry Dicking these boats allthough possible would surely just antagonise the Spanish even more.
Try some lube, they might be more agreeable then.
Marvellous 😉
Officer Crabtree, is it? Good moaning to you too.
Gibraltar is a privatised shipyard now, isn’t it? I would have thought that would preclude routine maintainance there, with a government owned facility the preference if you’re going to kit out facilities anywhere.