Britain has begun work on a new fleet of nuclear attack submarines, which is expected to enter service a few days later, in the middle of the century. A new defense pact signed between Australia and the United States to help Canberra purchase a similar ship.
UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has signed BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce £ 85 million each for initial design work on a next-generation fighter-killer submarine that will eventually replace seven Astute-class nuclear ships. Announced that it will be forgiven. , still delivered to the Royal Navy.
The announcement was made in the UK a few days later, and the United States signed the agreement We will work with Australia to help design and build our own nuclear attack submarines. It is still unclear which design Canberra will opt for, but it could probably be based on the Astute design or the equivalent Virginia class of the US Navy.
The three-year contract will provide approximately 250 jobs at BAE’s Barrow-in-Furness site in Cumbria, the only UK submarine manufacturing facility, and an additional 100 jobs at the Rolls-Royce Derby facility. Rolls-Royce has been the UK’s sole supplier of nuclear reactors to the Royal Navy since the introduction of nuclear submarines less than 60 years ago.
The government said industry involvement in the design of the next generation also included British defense company Babcock International, which maintains a fleet of submarines.
On a multi-million pound investment, Wallace said, “This vital skill stands ready to support high-quality jobs in Midland and North West England when Astute-class submarines are no longer available. I guarantee it is you. “
Defense analysts said the original construction contract would ensure key capabilities are preserved across the UK shipyard.
“It is imperative to start working on next-generation underwater capabilities as soon as possible,” said Ian Booth, chief executive officer of the UK’s U-Class Submarine Delivery Agency, a division of the Department of Defense. Rice field. The most experienced defense nuclear expert from the beginning of the design phase. “
Trevor Taylor, a think tank at the Royal United Services Institute, said the award of the first contract was “reasonable from an industrial policy point of view” and “drum work to secure critical skills” in the sector. I added that it is necessary. [were] It was cared for. “
The Astute program, when launched in the 1990s, faced problems hampered by a lack of skills and advanced design problems, resulting in delays and increased costs.
National Socialist program worth more than £ 11 billion and shipped four of a total of seven boats to the Royal Navy. The first HMS Astute will go into operation in 2014 and the fifth HMS Anson will begin its test drive next year. 7th submarine schedule – Agincourt – delivery before the end of 2026.
Armed with torpedoes and traditional cruise missiles, the Astute-class replaced seven older Trafalgar-class submarines, two of which are still in service today.
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According to industry experts, the new British submarine fleet will not enter service until the 2040s at the earliest. The MoD previously stated that Astute’s boats would have a useful life of 25 years.
The Royal Navy’s Hunter Killer is said to play an important role in sinking ships and submarines, as well as protecting boats with British nuclear deterrence. They can also attack land targets when immersed in cruise missiles and use special forces in covert operations on land.
The government has promised to update its national shipbuilding strategy this autumn, following the new UK defense and security industry strategy announced in March.
The US is already working on a successor to the Virginia-class attack submarine and announced this year that it would purchase the first next-generation boat in the early 2030s.
Britain begins construction work on new nuclear-powered attack submarines
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