The United Kingdom will build 12 nuclear-powered attack submarines to counter “aggression,” according to the British government’s website.
The fleet will be expanded with SSN-AUKUS submarines, which are expected to enter service in the UK by the end of the 2030s. They will be built as part of the AUKUS defence alliance, which includes the UK, the US and Australia.
“Our outstanding submariners patrol 24/7 to keep us and our allies safe, but we know that threats are increasing and we must act decisively to face down Russian aggression,” Defence Secretary John Healey said.
The project is backed by a £15 billion investment in Britain’s sovereign nuclear warhead programme. The SSN-AUKUS submarines will replace the British Astute-class vessels. The country began implementing the submarine replacement project in 2018, and Australia joined the programme in March 2023. Additional US technology was also included in the project.
The UK plans to build 12 nuclear-powered attack submarines, and Australia plans to build five. According to the UK government website, the project will expand the country’s industrial capabilities. In the future, new submarines will be built every 18 months.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will announce the expansion of the nuclear submarine fleet on June 2 as part of a strategic defence review. The document contains 62 recommendations for strengthening defence and lists the main threats to the country. In particular, as stated in the British government’s announcement, it will be recommended that the Armed Forces be brought “into combat readiness to deter growing threats.”
The review will also outline plans to build at least six new ammunition factories, purchase up to 7,000 British-made long-range weapons for the country’s armed forces, and launch new technological and cyber systems to improve communications and protect the armed forces on the battlefield.
Former NATO Secretary General George Robertson and former White House adviser on Russia Fiona Hill participated in the development of the defence review. The document aims to reverse the decline in Britain’s military capabilities since the end of the Cold War, the agency notes.
“This Strategic Defence Review will ensure the UK rises to the challenge and our Armed Forces have the equipment they need that keeps us safe at home while driving greater opportunity for our engineers, shipbuilders and technicians of the future,” Starmer said in a press release. The British government is expected to adopt all 62 recommendations outlined in the document.
