The United Kingdom has confirmed that it will begin construction in 2027 of the first SSN-AUKUS-class attack submarine, marking another stage in the strategic partnership established with Australia and the United States.
The British government intends to produce up to 12 vessels for the Royal Navy, all equipped with nuclear propulsion and conventional weapons, while Australia will also adopt the same design in its fleet renewal program.
Developed to replace the Astute-class submarines, the SSN-AUKUS combines British, American and Australian technologies. Manufacturing will take place in Barrow-in-Furness, with the reactors produced in Raynesway by Rolls-Royce. In parallel, Australia is preparing its future production line and has acquired three Virginia-class submarines from the United States to maintain its operational capability during the transition.
The investment plan also includes a broad modernization of the United Kingdom’s defence nuclear industry infrastructure. The measures include expanding submarine and reactor manufacturing capacity, improvements to naval bases and shipyards, the construction of new floating dry docks, and multi-billion-dollar investments in nuclear fuel and in the training of specialized professionals to support the sector’s growth.
With a budget of US$84.4 billion allocated to nuclear programs over the next four years, the British government intends to significantly accelerate submarine production, setting a target of launching a new vessel every 18 months. Despite the expansion of industrial facilities, experts assess that maintaining this pace will require further increases in production capacity.
The first SSN-AUKUS submarine will begin construction at Barrow in Furness next year, the first of “at least” 12 boats in class.
To support the Submarine Service, 3 floating drydocks will be built for Faslane under Project Euston, delivery date is unknown.
— UK Forces Tracker (@UKForcesTracker) July 1, 2026
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Source: UK Defence Journal | Photos: X @RoyalNavy | Bae Systems. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
