UK awards £5.9 bln contract to BAE Systems for Dreadnought nuclear submarine program

Published Jul 29, 09:30 PM UTC

The UK government has awarded a £5.9 billion contract to BAE Systems to advance the Royal Navy's Dreadnought Class nuclear deterrent submarines. The contract covers work on the first boat, Dreadnought, and continued construction of the second, Valiant, as well as fabrication of the remaining two, Warspite and King George VI. The four-boat class will replace the Vanguard fleet to maintain the UK's Continuous at Sea Deterrent. The contract is part of a wider £8.4 billion parliamentary-approved package. The program supports approximately 30,000 jobs, with over 7,000 at BAE Systems alone. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized the investment's role in national security and supporting British industry. BAE Systems CEO Charles Woodburn highlighted the program's strategic importance. The Dreadnought Class will be the largest and most advanced submarines ever built for the Royal Navy.