The UK government has announced a £31 billion investment in the Dreadnought submarine programme, aimed at replacing the aging Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines that form the core of the country’s nuclear deterrent. The announcement comes amid efforts to boost defence spending and reinforce the nation’s position within NATO.
The investment primarily supports the construction of four new submarines, with the first vessel, HMS Dreadnought, scheduled to enter service in the early 2030s. BAE Systems, which operates the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard, has been awarded a £5.9 billion contract to complete the initial submarine. The broader £31 billion programme includes a £10 billion contingency fund to address potential cost overruns, reflecting concerns about the project's scale and complexity that have already prompted an amber alert from government procurement overseers.
The Vanguard-class submarines currently carry up to 40 nuclear warheads each and maintain a continuous at-sea deterrent. The new Dreadnought-class is expected to continue this mission, with the UK’s nuclear warheads being designed and manufactured at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) sites in Aldermaston and Burghfield, Berkshire. Around 9,000 personnel are employed at these facilities. Additionally, about 4,000 workers at Rolls-Royce in Derby contribute to building the nuclear reactors that power both the current and future classes of submarines deployed by the Royal Navy.
During a recent visit to the Barrow shipyard, the UK prime minister emphasized the role of the programme in supporting industrial renewal and boosting apprenticeships. He highlighted the programme’s contribution to sustaining jobs, pointing to the 47,000 military nuclear-related roles nationwide, including 13,500 in Barrow, a constituency noted for its historical political shifts between Labour and Conservative parties. Labour regained the seat in the 2024 general election.
The prime minister’s visit also served to underline his pro-Trident stance, contrasting with the Labour party’s divisions on the issue. While the current leader and some senior MPs voted in favour of building the submarines in 2016, key figures such as Louise Haigh opposed the project.
Since assuming office just over a week ago, the prime minister has committed to increasing defence spending in line with NATO’s target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035. This follows a period of internal party conflict over defence budgets that led to resignations, including that of former defence secretary John Healey. Healey had advocated for a near-term interim target of 3% of GDP by 2030, a level the previous party leadership was unwilling to endorse. At a recent press conference, the prime minister refrained from committing to the 2030 target but reaffirmed the UK’s obligation to meet the 2035 NATO goal, noting that such commitments would be subject to the priorities of future parliaments.
The continued investment in the Dreadnought programme marks a significant step in the UK’s long-term strategic defence planning, underpinning both national security objectives and industrial capacity in key defence sectors.