UK Pledges to Double Nuclear Attack Submarine Force

 

A Strategic Defence Review (SDR) commissioned by the British government and to be published on June 2 has set a course for a doubling of the United Kingdom’s nuclear attack submarine force.

The Royal Navy is currently deploying its seven-strong fleet of Astute nuclear attack submarines. The sixth boat in the Astute fleet HMS Agamemnon (S123) was launched last October, and the final boat HMS Achilles (S125) is due to enter service in late 2026.

The 12 new AUKUS submarines to replace the Astute class will be built by BAE in Barrow in Furness, where the fabrication facility is being doubled in size so as to be able to turn out a new submarine every 18 months. The AUKUS design will be common to both the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, who are scheduled to take at least eight AUKUS submarines, to be built by a joint venture by ASC and BAE at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia.  The first British AUKUS submarine is likely to be delivered in the late 2030s, and the first Australian submarine in the early 2040s.

While the AUKUS design is a long way from being fixed, the submarines are likely to feature both vertical launch tubes for missiles and forward launch tubes for torpedoes. Although nuclear-powered, there is currently no intention for the AUKUS submarines in British service to perform the nuclear deterrence role. With the UK’s nuclear deterrence currently provided solely by the four boats of the Vanguard Class, this role will be taken over by four new Dreadnought Class submarines, the first three of which are already under construction in Barrow - the first of class HMS Dreadnought is likely to come into service in 2032. However, the SDR has recommended that the UK’s nuclear capability be broadened, so it is possible that the vertically-launched missiles on British AUKUS submarines could eventually be armed with nuclear warheads. The Royal Air Force is also likely to be re-equipped with nuclear weapons, a capability dropped in 1998, with F-35A aircraft to be procured for this purpose. 

Amongst 62 SDR recommendations, all apparently accepted by the British government, one of the first to be implemented will be a significant increase in explosives, missile, and ammunition manufacturing capability, with four new factories to be commissioned, dispersed across the UK. 

The SDR has come in for some criticism because the review has made recommendations based on an assumption that UK defense spending will increase to 3 percent of GDP. The government has not yet specified by when this target pledge will be honored.