The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that long-term upgrades are underway at His Majesty’s Naval Bases Clyde and Devonport to ensure sufficient infrastructure is in place to support the Royal Navy’s growing submarine fleet, including up to 12 planned attack submarines and four Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarines.
In a written response to a question from James Cartlidge MP on the adequacy of submarine docking capacity, Defence Minister Maria Eagle said the government “is committed to ensuring the availability of submarine berths to support all submarine operations”. She added that the focus remains on “the long-term infrastructure development of His Majesty’s Naval Bases Clyde and Devonport”.
Eagle did not specify how many berths would be required or which bases would be responsible for specific classes of submarines, citing operational security. “For reasons of operational security, further details on specific berths cannot be disclosed,” she stated.
This assurance follows similar answers to recent questions raised in Parliament about the infrastructure required for the UK’s next-generation Dreadnought-class submarines, which will replace the current Vanguard-class boats. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that it is upgrading dockyards to support the maintenance and repair of these submarines, but warned that disclosing details could “undermine the security and capability of our Armed Forces.”
The Dreadnought-class programme, the UK’s largest defence project, remains budgeted at £41 billion, which includes a £10 billion contingency. The first submarine in the class, HMS Dreadnought, is expected to enter service in the early 2030s and will form the cornerstone of Britain’s Continuous At-Sea Deterrence (CASD) until at least the 2060s.
While specific plans remain classified, it is widely anticipated that HMNB Clyde (Faslane) will remain the home of the UK’s strategic deterrent, while Devonport is likely to retain responsibility for deep maintenance of nuclear-powered submarines. Both sites are currently undergoing extensive modernisation to prepare for the expanded fleet.
God damn it, we are on a roll now.
Up to 12 World class, cutting edge, state of the art hyper super dooper sinky/floaty boaty types all backed up by world class, state of the art, cutting edge facilities, the envy of the world.
Eventually.
“All good things come to those who wait”.
Saying one thing and it actually happening is another. Do you really trust the eagle has landed? Or any of them ? If and when these 12 boats are going to happen the last one to enter service will probably be around 2070. Not much of a roll.
You just have to go to Barrow to see these boats are happening. Massive expansion and hiring already under way.
12 x 18 months…..
That is an 18 year into service from first to last.
Question is really when boat #1 is going to hit the water. Not that long till it hits initial fabrication. In the geological timescale involved…..
The bigger elephant in the room is what was the effect of the Barrow fire? Fixing burned submarines is always harder than you might think.
If we are looking at 12 in total, with an expansion of production capacity at Barrow, causally an increase to 3.5% on the core defence budget, then it’s all quite doable.
I suspect that the first SSNR boat will replace Astute, as she’s apparently quite different to her sisters.
The rest of the Astute class can be refitted and updated for 30 plus year careers.
So they should be able to build 6 SSNR’s at a steady drum beat, from boat 7 on, they would start to replace the outgoing Astute class.
Crucially even!!!
Edit function back please!
There are 7 Astute class SSNs planned. That meets the ‘up to 12’ requirement. Who knows if any more will be built.
Well, one way to get a feel of things is how many PW3 reactors are Rolls Royce looking to build…. I am sure I saw something here a year or two ago talking about mid 20’s for the PW3 reactors…. 4 Dreadnaughts, 20 AUKUS subs plus a prototype reactor….
If you mean that only 7 SSNAs might be built, I agree we can’t know. However, given current trends I’d be optimistic that more will be built than that. (Or pessimistic if you are viewing the geopolitics driving the increase.) One threat could be someone pushing some fantasy world of submarine obsolescence, decades before the replacements reality. I can’t see the whole Atlantic Bastion UUV thing taking over the requirements that quickly.
That’s nonsense, they are very specific that up to 12 SSN A are planned not Astute.
All Astutes are accounted for – 7 ,no if’s or but’s,if you mean SSN(R) AUKUS then up to twelve is pretty self explanitory.
No more Astutes can be built, unfortunately. Why? Because the PWR2 reactor that goes into them has been replaced by the PWR3 reactor on the production line. The PWR3 goes into the Dreadnought boats and will also go into the SSN A class, it is much bigger that the PWR2 so cannot be fitted to an Astute class sub. Secondly, the production lines at Barrow and Raynesway (RR Derby) are full with Dreadnought work and I suspect they will soon be cutting steel and building the reactors for the SSN A boats (if they haven’t already started on the first reactor for SSN A, takes years to build and fuel a reactor).
So no more Astutes I’m afraid, and just for the record we don’t and never will have enough of them. I would also argue we need a fifth SSBN, but that ain’t going to happen either.
Hopefully, to up dated infrastructure will help with Astute and Vanguard availability in the meantime…
Cheers CR
“Specific berths cannot be disclosed.”
Yet X and Z Berths locations are public knowledge, and one can look on Google Earth and count all sorts if one wishes.
Hiding behind secrecy so they avoid giving truthful answers.
This government are more obscure than the last lot so far.
Oh, and CDS, CGS, CNS, and CAS are all being gagged by orders from No 10, reading various reports on X.
CDS comments at RUSI are xxxxx xxxxxx while other foreign militaries officials can speak.
Procurement above 50k at a standstill.
Why?