Dunfermline MP Graeme Downie has welcomed a UK Government announcement of £340 million for Rosyth Dockyard, describing it as a landmark moment for Fife’s economy and defence sector.
The funding, confirmed in a written parliamentary answer by Defence Procurement Minister Maria Eagle and first reported by the UK Defence Journal here, will support submarine dismantling and provide contingency docking facilities for the UK’s next-generation nuclear deterrent, the Dreadnought-class submarines.
MP for the yard Graeme Downie, who has made securing new investment for Rosyth one of his top priorities since his election last year, said the decision was “a clear vote of confidence in our world-class workforce.”
He argued that the investment showed how “a strong Labour voice, who believes in our national security and our world-class local workforce, works with a UK Government that values long-term investment in our defence sites.”
The UK Defence Journal understands the £340 million package is tied to plans to create a “contingent dock” at Rosyth, allowing nuclear submarines to be brought into the yard during sea trials or when extra capacity is needed at Clyde or Devonport.
Speaking to myself and other journalists at Rosyth, Babcock Group Chief Executive David Lockwood explained: “They want to build a backup dock for the Clyde primarily, but potentially for Devonport too. The aim is to be able to start bringing nuclear submarines in here again – not to break them up, but working submarines. It’s a really good programme.”
Mr Lockwood added that Babcock has invested heavily in Rosyth in recent years: “We have put more corporate money into this site than any other site in the world in the last five years, well into nine figures. You can imagine that this site really could become quite a vibrant place.”
The announcement follows last week’s £10 billion deal for Type 26 frigates for Norway, a contract set to support thousands of jobs on the Clyde. With Rosyth now in line for major upgrades, Mr Downie said Fife is being placed “at the heart of our national security and military asset management.”
Hmmm…is it just my imagination, or do the dominoes seem to be falling in rapid succession to herald a rebirth of UK/RN maritime power?!? T-26 exports confirmed, T-31 exports probable, additional submarine infrastructure development confirmed. And damned, all of those developments have occurred during the past week! The RN has evidently learned the BA’s quick march technique. UK rearmament may have just begun in earnest; well done to all those involved w/ the advancements. Probably not a moment too early. (Hopefully, RAF and BA have been taking copious notes. 😁)
I’ll believe when the orders for the RN come in, but there does seem to have been a glut of good news of the past couple of weeks.
Interesting. I can’t recall when the UK actually increased its naval dockyard infrastructure. Although huge sums have been invested in refurbishing, updating or changing the role of facilities, this seems to be different. The nearest example I can think of is the construction of the UK Naval Support Facility in Bahrain, but this was actually paid for by Bahrain and is becoming desperately under utilised – although I have been assured by others that it won’t be closed and handed over to the USN or even the French MN, which is looking for an upgrade to its small naval facility in Abu Dhabi.