The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce two contracts worth £85 million each to deliver design and concept work for a future Class of Royal Navy submarine.
The contract will enable the Company’s Submarines business to progress the early stages of a programme to deliver a replacement for the Astute class, helping to sustain the UK’s future underwater military capability and support 250 highly-skilled jobs in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
The contract has been awarded following approval of a three-year Programme, Definition and Design phase for a capability solution for the MOD’s Maritime Underwater Future Capability (MUFC) programme.
BAE Systems will work alongside the SDA, Rolls-Royce, Babcock and partners on a new class of nuclear powered attack submarines for the UK Royal Navy to replace the Astute class – currently referred to as SSN-Replacement (SSNR).
Four of the seven Astute submarines have already been delivered to the Royal Navy, while the remaining three are at an advanced stage of construction at BAE Systems’ site in Barrow. BAE Systems is also a member of the Dreadnought Alliance and, working alongside the SDA and Rolls-Royce, is leading the design and build of a replacement for the Vanguard class. Build of the first two of the four new Dreadnought class submarines is well underway in Barrow.
