Rolls-Royce Submarines has officially opened a new office in Glasgow, creating 120 specialist roles in electrical controls, instrumentation, and cyber security.
Funded by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the office was inaugurated by the Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, the Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP, at the Airport Business Park.
This expansion is part of Rolls-Royce Submarines’ efforts to meet growing demand from the Royal Navy, including supporting the Dreadnought programme and the AUKUS agreement. The Glasgow location was chosen to tap into the region’s skilled workforce and contribute to the national endeavour of supporting the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
Strategic Importance
Steve Carlier, President of Rolls-Royce Submarines, emphasised the strategic importance of the new office, saying, “The work we do for the Royal Navy is of critical strategic importance, and to deliver it, we need to harness talent from across the UK, not just from our base in Derby. The opening of our Glasgow office allows us to benefit from the region’s strong pedigree in electrical engineering and add to our own existing pool of nuclear experts.”
Government Support
Maria Eagle MP hailed the office as a significant step for UK defence. “The opening of the new Rolls-Royce office in Glasgow is a clear demonstration of the Government’s commitment to the UK’s nuclear deterrent. This investment is delivered alongside an important industry partnership and will support high-skilled jobs and economic growth that will benefit our prosperity and security for decades to come,” she said.
The Secretary of State for Scotland, the Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, also highlighted the economic impact of the project. “Economic growth is the UK Government’s top mission, and I welcome the opening of this new MOD-funded office and the 120 high-skilled jobs it has created. The arrival of Rolls-Royce Submarines in Glasgow is a landmark day for the city-region and testament to the skills, expertise and innovation available through the workforce in this area,” he said.
Supporting UK Defence
The new office will play a key role in supporting the UK’s submarine fleet, which is powered by nuclear reactors designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce. The company is actively involved in the construction and maintenance of the Astute and Dreadnought submarine programmes, as well as providing global support from its Operations Centre in Derby.
The Glasgow expansion also underscores Scotland’s vital role in UK defence. “Defence is a key driver for economic growth in Scotland, with MOD spending around £2 billion annually with industry here, directly supporting over 11,000 jobs,” Murray added.
Future Talent Pipeline
To ensure a steady supply of talent, Rolls-Royce established its Nuclear Skills Academy in Derby in 2022. The academy plans to train 200 apprentices annually for at least the next decade, ensuring the continuation of expertise critical to the UK’s defence sector.
Rolls-Royce is actively recruiting for roles at the new Glasgow office. Interested applicants can visit the company’s careers page for more information.
Thanks for the tip-off 📸🤷♂️
All jolly good news, but could some financial emphasis be placed on both retaining resources instead of scrapping them and making the military an attractive career with incentives to join as well as retain. As threats grow, our government seem intent on reducing our capability, at least in the short term.
If a potential aggressor(ski) chooses to escalate a current conflict, can we say ‘Hang on Vlad, play fair. We’d be awfully grateful if you would kindly wait until 2035 or so, so we could have a fair duel? Thanks awfully old chap’.
I think not.
Even Mark Felton has had enough of this Labour government, just a few months in.
Cannot link, but a great watch, including a Stalin/Starmer montage.
On Youtube “Can Russia Attack Britain? What A Conventional Attack Might Look Like”
That Professor Felton gets involved in this stuff rather than his usual historical focus is an eye opener.
He’s done a few other videos similar, one highlighting how vulnerable we are to sub launched cruise missiles. Most of the usual heads in the sand brigade on here refuse to accept the possibly that a Russian sub could slip into the North Atlantic undetected. It only takes one. And once its slipped through the net it has a huge hiding place ready and waiting. We should not be so complacent as to assume it could not happen.
Agreed when you hear a Guardian defence writer as I did on 5 Live telling us straight about what Putin/Russias aims are in his words fighting and winning a Second Cold War with a hot war supporting it as necessary I really do think we need to stand up and take notice. We seriously need in particular to confront the useful idiots or Russian bots (we had one here last week) who still try to push the line on the public that NATO pushed a ‘threatened Russia’ into this invasion. That concept of a disarming Europe being a threat to a long rearming Russia is patently ludicrous. But getting back to the point whatever the state of this equipment getting rid of it long before even potential replacements can be made available is a terrible look and cutting before any expansion of defence makes the Govt look totally inept and out of touch with reality. Never so quickly, even under Johnson have words looked so insincere and they need to turn that image around quickly and not just in defence tbh.
Saw that. Pretty much said we have been saying for months this site.
Pretty much went in with bothe barrels.
Good points but a little one sided.
I notice he doesn’t mention the other NATO countries which would distract Putin maybe just a little. Suddenly we are fighting Russia alone.
Are there targets in the UK. Probably but also all over mainland Europe and North America.
Does Putin want to bite off more than he can chew. Well some think he already has. Why add to the problem.
Great Britain, while a part of NATO, should not have to hide behind it. We are big enough.
Nowdays politicians are all too willing I feel to do that.
Otherwise, of course, and Felton is not stupid but he’s a Brit so looks through the lense at us.
Problem is that historically and overtly presently by actions Britain is their most focused enemy, deemed a sidekick to the US and being the most strategically belligerent in words and deeds while being somewhat separated from Europe and the EU. So an attack on us is rather from their point of view more logical than on mainland Europe which Russia always wanted to and indeed needs to keep scared and submissive to it doing under the hope it might still be left alone. Britain as the bridge between the US and Europe politically, strategically and geographically is thus the obvious power and influence they need to ‘break’ one way or another. It’s why we have had two serious attacks here orchestrated by Russia this century, all part of the bigger picture. Now our advantage has always been our close ties to the US as big daddy, but with Trump coming in whatever his words of love for Britain the fact is his support base and much of those he brings into power care nothing about us at best and Europe either. So who knows what message that gives Putin in his desperate manoeuvres. One thing for sure he will want to test that ground next year and considering how feeble the US was for a while during the Salisbury incident I fear we will be severely tested in our resolve. So if this is a phoney war at the moment we need to be getting real not just using talking shops like the Review to put off actual decision making while talking big under the possible delusion our NATO friends will immediately be there for us.
Yes, all fair comments.
Sadly, I have no faith dear leader Starmer or the other miscreants in his cabinet are up to that, and indeed I’d suggest ideologically are unable to.
And that goes for the previous lot as well, I’m sick to the back teeth with the mainstream parties in this country.
Afternoon M8 have you seen that Mr Starmer has said he will announce the roadmap to get to 2.5% Defence spending in the Spring ! Which is pretty well on schedule to follow the SDR. It kind of makes sense but I’d be more impressed if it also involved a one off capital uplift of say £20 billion over the next 4 years.
You may be surprised to know that although I would like to see a U K land based missile AD system I’d not want to see an ABM component. Simple reason is Putin just used a MIRV MRBM with conventional warheads and I’d rather keep things simple when it comes to deterrence. Any sort of BM heading our way triggers our CASD, best to keep Politicians brains focussed on simple things.
Meanwhile as the previous Government managed pretty well caused this mess (not ordering any ships on time or much else), do we trust them to do any better ?
So we can moan, groan and bluster but fact is they are in charge for 5 years and 🤞🏻we can just hope they do better than the last lot.
As a matter of interest have you read the election manifestos of Labour, Tory, Reform and LD ? If not you may find it interesting that all 4 have 1 thing in common. Defence is near the bottom of all their priorities 🤔
For a professor, it was too much of a rant and just spouting off without any factuals and his childish remarks really do undermine his credibility; he should stick to history.
I found it funny though!
Have you seen his vid on bring shown around Buck Palace? As an ardent Monarchist 😉😂 I know you’d like that one.
Talking of Professors I like to watch Prof Tim Wilson occasionally, he’s spent over 10 years living and working in Russia, he gives an interesting insight.
Right.
BAE Systems (techie things) are in Salmesbury, nr Preston
BAE Systems subs in Barrow
Soooooo
Let’s go to Glasgow!
Come on Rodney, what is this about?
Morning I was typing as fast as I could 😁
Did you know the NCF is also building at Samlesbury?
I’ve not found the specific building yet but I do know they’re currently sharing with BAES.
Well I suppose as I am a courteous person and as UKDJ have gone to the trouble of writing an article on the expansion of part of our Defence industry I’ll comment on that (So just call me Billy No Mates).
It’s good news and along with the new office down in Cardiff it’s a clear demonstration of the expansion of the U.K Nuclear Submarine industry and secures our CASD and our ability to support AUKUS.
I’d also point out that our CASD (and France’s) are probably the best defence any country in Europe has against any Ballistic Missile attack (conventional or nuclear). Simple reason is no one can tell what sort of warhead is on the way ergo large buckets of Sunshine in response.
FYI it may seem odd to some that RR is investing in smaller offices away from Derby but the fact is that it’s way easier to coordinate remote teams and facilities in 2024 than it was in 1964 and they need to widen the available talent pool. Both Cardiff and Glasgow have a long history of engineering prowess and Universities that are more focussed on Science and Engineering than most.
As for everyone’s comments on the present situation it’s baffling to me that nearly every country in Europe is increasing their defence and we are disarming.
So can someone go and dig up Lord Halifax and send him over to Moscow.🥴
This new comment system did not allow me to reply to you further up mate.
No, I hadn’t seen that from Starmer, all nicely for when Trumps in I guess.
Yep, Tories made this mess, and I hoped having made an awful lot of noise in opposition they’d not revert to type and start cutting buy inject some urgency and funds, along the lines you suggest, into defence.
That all went on teachers and train drivers, par the course.
Did you know, only 2 RFA were built in Labour’s time lsdtvtime round? They cut several RFA in that time, and built Wave Knight and Wave Ruler.
I find it rather ironic they finish the job now?
It’s an odd one about the RFA, it’s almost as if HMG and the CS find the RFA in general to be a troublesome concept to deal with. They are part of the CS but have highly marketable external job prospects (must be unique), wear uniforms and go near combat zones. Get paid as CS but by MOD and generally don’t ever cause problems, except when their pay drops below market rates.
I’d love to see how Mick from the RMT deals with this one, it’s novel. To me it’s complete no brainer just pay them the going rate it’s peanuts in real terms.