During a parliamentary session, Graeme Downie, Labour MP for Dunfermline and Dollar, sought an update on the progress of the submarine dismantling programme at Rosyth, highlighting its potential to provide long-term employment in his constituency.
Downie noted his recent visit to HMS Swiftsure, a decommissioned Royal Navy submarine being dismantled and recycled by Babcock as part of a pilot project.
He asked, “Will the Minister provide an update on the programme, which could secure hundreds of jobs in Dunfermline and Dollar by dealing with similar submarines at Rosyth over the coming decades?”
Responding, Defence Minister Maria Eagle acknowledged the significance of the programme, stating, “My hon. Friend will be aware that despite the fact we have had nuclear submarines since 1980, we have never dismantled one, so there is a lot of work to be done.”
Eagle described the work on HMS Swiftsure as “very encouraging” and expressed optimism about its potential to create employment opportunities. “What is happening with Swiftsure is very encouraging and will hopefully provide many jobs in dismantling nuclear submarines. I hope my hon. Friend will be happy with that reply,” she said.
The dismantling programme, if scaled up, could represent a significant investment in Rosyth, creating jobs and addressing the backlog of decommissioned submarines awaiting disposal.
Babcock, Veolia in first dismantling of UK nuclear submarine
Last year we reported that Cold War veterans gathered at Rosyth for a final look at HMS Swiftsure, the first of the Royal Navy’s retired nuclear-powered submarines set to be dismantled, according to a Royal Navy press release.
More than 40 former crew members of the hunter-killer submarine, decommissioned in 1992, were invited to revisit their old vessel before it undergoes the complex process of being broken up. HMS Swiftsure, once a vital part of the Silent Service, had been docked at Rosyth since July 2023, awaiting dismantling as part of the Ministry of Defence’s Submarine Dismantling Project.
Despite the passage of time, the submarine still contained remnants of her operational days, including bunk plans and other mementos from her time in service, which moved many of the veterans. Some described the submarine as “a time capsule,” with memories of their time aboard coming back vividly.
Chris Carpenter, Head of Submarine Disposal and Devonport Infrastructure, expressed his gratitude to the veterans for their service and for attending the event. “Let me say how grateful I and my colleagues are for your service in keeping us safe,” he said. He also acknowledged the emotional nature of the visit, recalling the veterans’ pride in their service during operations, including Cold War surveillance and the famous Kiev recordings, which captured the sound signature of a Soviet flagship.
The dismantling of HMS Swiftsure will serve as a blueprint for the recycling of more than 20 decommissioned nuclear submarines. The project, which aims to recycle over 90% of the materials, is expected to be completed by 2026.
Some of the metal from the submarine will be repurposed for next-generation vessels, including the Dreadnought class and future AUKUS submarines.
Another project limited by lack of willing pairs of hands to do well paid work while we pay millions of people to sit at home.
In Switzerland, hardly the home of poverty, you get told where to go to do a job. And the job may not be near to you. If you don’t go benefits are stopped. It is really that simple.
Off you go then.
WOW!! What a really horrible unwanted reply! You aren’t very supportive are you!
Why, what’s horrible about it? They were replying to a comment which seemed unwanted, so maybe you replied to the wrong one🫤