British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to unveil the acquisition of up to 12 new Submersible Ship Nuclear-AUKUS submarines, expanding the United Kingdom’s capability to protect its national security. The Tuesday announcement comes as the U.K. announces findings from its Strategic Defence Review, an external audit aimed at delivering 62 recommendations to the British government on ways to improve the readiness of the armed forces.
The plan to purchase the new submarines align with the nation’s Plan for Change initiative. According to government estimates, the acquisition is expected to support up to 30,000 jobs until the 2030s and deliver 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles over the next 10 years.
Secretary of State for Defence John Healey emphasized the importance of SSN-AUKUS in protecting the sovereign waters of the country and its allies.
“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,” the defense chief said.
“With new state-of-the-art submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead program on British shores, we are making Britain secure at home and strong abroad while delivering on our Plan for Change with 30,000 highly skilled jobs across the country.”
The SSN-AUKUS, the next-generation successor to the current Astute-class SSN, incorporates technologies from the three signatory nations under the AUKUS trilateral security partnership. It is expected to have the U.S. Virginia-class SSN, including a common vertical launch system and weapons.
Efforts to develop the next-generation underwater vehicle have been underway. In March, HII took over to lead the Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification program, which will ensure a capable supply chain during the development of the new vessels. Production of the British SSN-AUKUS will share the same suppliers as its Australian counterpart.
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