Inside UK's new £15,000,000,000 nuclear attack submarines

Metro

4 days ago

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The UK waters will soon be patrolled by 12 new 'apex predator' attack submarines.
The military's weapon arsenal includes the secretive nuclear-powered and armed submarines, which only a select few will ever set foot in due to high-level security.
The submarine arm of the Royal Navy, known as the Silent Service, operates a fleet of Trafalgar, Astute and Vanguard class vessels.
Now, an upgrade is on the horizon after the government said that 12 new SSN-AUKUS submarines will be built as part of a £15 billion programme 'in response to the rapidly increasing threats' – namely, Russia – and to 'make Britain and Nato safe for decades to come.'
Here is a recap of what the fuss around the SSN-AUKUS submarines is all about.
The Ministry of Defence has been tight-lipped about the submarines' exact specs, but they will replace the seven-strong Astute class from the late 2030s onwards.
Their deadly design allows them to patrol domestic and international waters without detection, and if needed, destroy other ships and submarines and even enforce a blockade for a long period.
The name – SSN-AUKUS – comes from the security pact between Australia, the UK and the US formed in 2021, which led to the creation of the next-generation submarines.
The new fleet will carry conventional weapons, but they will be nuclear-powered. In comparison, the Vanguard-class submarines are equipped with the controversial Trident missile system with nuclear warheads.
One of the new submarines' task will be to protect the Trident nuclear missiles, which are already undergoing a warhead modernisation programme.
The SSN system will remain the 'apex predator' for years to come, Navy Lookout said.
Official information on the design is sparse, but the Navy Lookout put together an estimated look for the new fleet.
The SSN-AUKUS subs will be largely modelled after the Dreadnought class, but they are likely to be larger than the current Astute fleet.
This will provide extra space for heavier weapons and crew. One SSN-AUKUS is estimated to be 410ft long and weigh 9,200 tonnes
Ice-strengthened and streamlined fin
PWR3 nuclear reactor is located in the rear section
Six 21-inch launch tubes for torpedoes, mines and small robot underwater vehicles near the front
Optronic sensor masts – essentially a modern-day periscope to provide ultra-high definition view at night and during the day
The weapon launch system will be based on the Virginia-class technologies developed in the US to allow advanced intelligence, surveillance, underwater warfare and strike operations, Naval Technologies said
The submarines and the nuclear systems themselves will be built in the UK
The new generation submarines are expected to carry submarine-launched cruise missiles (SLCM), which can strike inland
The weapons can penetrate protective 'anti-access and area denial bubbles,' which can be too dangerous for Navy ships, according to the Navy Lookout
The new UK submarines will be built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness, while the nuclear propulsion units are manufactured at Rolls Royce in Derby, which the government said will support 30,000 jobs.
Defence Secretary John Healey said: '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.
'With new state-of-the-art submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead programme 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 submarine plan comes after the government pledged to up the UK's defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 as the Prime Minister announced the strategic defence review.
However, he refused to confirm whether the defence spending will reach 3% by the next parliament.
The PM also announced at least six new munitions factories along with the £15 billion investment in nuclear warheads.
He said: 'First, we are moving to war-fighting readiness as the central purpose of our armed forces.
'When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready, and frankly, to show them that we're ready to deliver peace through strength.'
The second aim is to adopt a 'Nato-first' defence approach so that all actions strengthen the alliance. More Trending
Innovation will also be accelerated at a 'wartime pace' to mee the 'threat of today and tomorrow, as the fastest innovator in Nato,' Sir Keir said.
The UK defence announcement comes as the Russia-Ukraine war has intensified.
Ukraine said it had blasted dozens of Russian nuclear bombers in a mass drone attack over the weekend.
Meanwhile, peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegates concluded in Turkiye without a major breakthrough, although prisoner swaps were agreed on.
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