London: The United Kingdom revealed a monumental £4 billion ($4.9 billion) agreement to manufacture state-of-the-art attack submarines.
The British government has conferred a £4 billion contract upon BAE Systems as a component of the AUKUS initiative with Australia and the United States to fabricate attack submarines. This announcement was made jointly by Defence Minister Grant Shapps and the corporation on Sunday.
In an official statement, BAE Systems elucidated that the Ministry of Defence has granted them £3.95 billion in funding to oversee development efforts until 2028. This allocation enables the commencement of comprehensive design work on these submarines.
“Our paramount national safeguard is undoubtedly our at-sea nuclear deterrent,” underscored British Defence Minister Grant Shapps during his address at the Conservative Party’s annual conference in Manchester.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that we have formalized contracts with prominent British enterprises to propel forward and actualize the most potent attack submarines ever to be operated by the British Navy.”
In March, the United States, Australia, and Britain unveiled the details of the AUKUS plan, aiming to supply Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines starting in the early 2030s. The objective is to counter China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.
“This multi-billion-pound investment in the AUKUS submarine program will contribute to delivering the long-term capabilities of hunter-killer submarines that the UK necessitates,” commented Shapps in the official statement.
The construction of these submarines is anticipated to commence toward the end of this decade, with the inaugural SSN-AUKUS vessel scheduled for delivery in the late 2030s, according to BAE Systems.
Having commenced the design work in 2021, the financial allocation will support development activities until 2028.
Moreover, this agreement will encompass substantial investments in infrastructure at BAE Systems’ facility in Barrow-in-Furness, the expansion of its supply chain, and the recruitment of over 5,000 individuals.
“This funding reaffirms the government’s commitment to our UK submarine enterprise and enables us to refine the design while investing in critical expertise and infrastructure to bolster our long-term national security,” affirmed Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive of BAE Systems.
By the conclusion of this year, the UK’s submarine programs will employ 12,500 personnel, including approximately 900 apprentices and graduates.
