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Construction has begun on the third Dreadnought Class submarine, Warspite, by BAE Systems for the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy.
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BAE announced the start of construction on the second to last Dreadnought Class ballistic missile submarine at its shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria on 9 February.
The 153.6-metre-long boat is expected to enter service in the early 2030s and carry nuclear deterrent weaponry such as Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes and Lockheed Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
All vessels, including the fourth boat, King George VI, are expected to enter service in the 2030s for the UK’s Continuous At Sea Deterrent, which has been on uninterrupted patrol each day since 1969.
BAE Systems submarines business managing director Steve Timms said construction of the first two boats, Dreadnought and Valiant, is already well underway.
“Today’s milestone is a really significant moment for the thousands of employees here at BAE Systems and across the submarines enterprise who are working together to deliver the Dreadnought Class,” he said.
“We are immensely proud of the role we play in delivering this truly national endeavour for the Royal Navy and our contribution to protecting national security.”
The £7.5 billion project is expected to support more than 11,800 jobs, recruit more than 2,000 new employees, and hire more than 800 apprentices and graduates in 2023.
BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, and the Submarine Delivery Agency are all involved in the Dreadnought program.
UK Defence Procurement Minister Alex Chalk, who attended the ceremony, said the announcement is a significant step forward in the program.
“Our nuclear deterrent protects every UK citizen from the most extreme threats, every minute of every day, and progress on the Dreadnought Class is crucial to maintaining our national security,” Minister Chalk said.
“This milestone is a significant step forward in the Dreadnought program, supporting thousands of jobs and apprenticeships across the country, and protecting the UK and our allies for decades to come.”
BAE Systems is also delivering seven Astute Class hunter killer submarines, four of which are in-service with the Royal Navy.
In addition, design and concept work is underway on the Submersible Ship Nuclear Replacement program to replace the Astute Class nuclear-powered fleet submarines in service with the Royal Navy.
