Jessica O'ConnorIn a landmark announcement aligned with the UK’s Strategic Defence Review, the Government has unveiled plans to build up to 12 new nuclear-powered, conventionally armed attack submarines.
The initiative, centred on the SSN-AUKUS fleet, will boost Britain’s defence manufacturing industry, transforming shipyards and training centres while delivering a major investment to the UK workforce.
Backed by the Government’s £15bn investment and its ‘Plan for Change’, the expansion is set to support around 30,000 highly skilled jobs across the country well into the 2030s.
Crucially, the Government is coupling the submarine programme with a renewed focus on education and workforce development, committing to deliver 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles in the next 10 years across defence and civil nuclear sectors.
Speaking ahead of the Strategic Defence Review’s full release, the Prime Minister said: “National security is the foundation of my Plan for Change, and this plan will ensure Britain is secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering a defence dividend of well-paid jobs up and down the country.”
The submarine expansion will centre around increased industrial output from Barrow-in-Furness and Raynesway in Derby, where a new submarine will be built every 18 months to meet the growing demands of the AUKUS partnership.
These efforts are set to create thousands of new roles for engineers, shipbuilders, and nuclear specialists.
In anticipation of the scaling demands, government and industry leaders are fast-tracking training pipelines, aiming to double current apprentice and graduate intakes across the defence and civil nuclear sectors.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “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.”
