Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to unveil an £8.4 billion investment for the next phase of Britain's Dreadnought-class nuclear submarine programme during a visit to the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness. Of the total, £5.9 billion will go to BAE Systems to continue building four vessels, while £2.5 billion is allocated to the wider domestic defence supply chain.
The Dreadnought submarines, equipped to launch Trident 2 D5 ballistic missiles, will replace the Vanguard-class fleet in service since 1992. The first vessel, HMS Dreadnought, is expected to enter service in the early 2030s, with HMS Valiant advancing to sea trials. The government says the programme currently supports around 47,000 jobs and apprenticeships, forecast to rise to 65,000 by 2030.
The spending forms part of a broader Defence Investment Plan committing £63.6 billion to the Defence Nuclear Enterprise over four years, published in the final days of Sir Keir Starmer's government. Burnham also indicated that public procurement will favour companies offering 45-day work placements.