Rolls-Royce Submarines has appointed AtkinsRéalis and Mott MacDonald as fissile design partners for its Raynesway site expansion in Derby, marking a key step in its ten-year development programme.
The expansion, driven by increased demand for submarines from the Royal Navy and the AUKUS defence partnership, aims to double the site’s size and create 1,170 skilled jobs across manufacturing and engineering disciplines.
The PROPEL joint venture, combining AtkinsRéalis and Mott MacDonald’s expertise, will design the new fissile facilities required for the site. These facilities will support the faster production of Dreadnought-class and SSN-AUKUS attack submarines.
Rolls-Royce Submarines Infrastructure Director Terry Meighan stressed the significance of the project, stating, “The expansion work we have planned is of critical national importance as it enables us to safely increase our speed of manufacture, helping to deliver Dreadnought and the new SSN-AUKUS attack submarines at a much faster rate.”
The design and construction of these facilities must meet stringent requirements due to their location within the nuclear-licensed site. Andy Smart of AtkinsRéalis highlighted the project’s complexity, saying, “This critical project requires expertise and skillsets across nuclear fuel management, defence and complex infrastructure programmes.”
Jeremy Reed of Mott MacDonald added, “Combined with our commitment to excellence, safety, and sustainability, this experience… will play a key role in supporting Rolls-Royce Submarines to deliver the successful expansion of the Derby site.”
The next stage of the programme will see the appointment of a fissile construction partner tasked with executing the designs. Rolls-Royce anticipates announcing the successful bidder in the coming weeks.
Rolls-Royce Submarines, employing over 5,000 people, currently supports the Royal Navy by designing, manufacturing, and maintaining the pressurised water reactors powering its submarine fleet. The company is a key player in the Astute and Dreadnought submarine programmes and provides frontline support at facilities in Derby, Barrow-in-Furness, Devonport, and Faslane, as well as operating a unique test facility in Thurso, Scotland.
