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

Published Jul 31, 02:30 PM UTC

The UK Government has awarded a new £5.9 billion contract to BAE Systems to advance the Dreadnought Class nuclear deterrent submarine programme. The contract funds continued work on the first-of-class submarine, Dreadnought, at BAE Systems' shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, with delivery to the Royal Navy expected in the early 2030s. It also covers progress on the second boat, Valiant, and early-stage fabrication and outfitting of the remaining two boats, Warspite and King George VI. The four-boat Dreadnought Class will replace the existing Vanguard fleet, ensuring the UK's Continuous at Sea Deterrent capability. The contract is part of a wider £8.4 billion package approved by parliament for the Ministry of Defence, delivered in collaboration with the Defence Nuclear Enterprise.