Babcock International’s Rosyth dockyard may turn into a maintenance hub for the Royal Navy’s expanded submarine fleet.
In conversation with Navy Leaders and other selected journalists yesterday (Thursday), Babcock International’s CEO David Lockwood and Admiral Sir Nick Hine its Chief Executive, Marine, revealed discussions were being held with the Government about potentially making Rosyth a base for maintenance and docking of RN submarines.
About £340 million is being spent on #3 dry dock at Rosyth on upgrades to make it a ‘contingent docking facility’ for the new Dreadnought class of ballistic missile submarines carrying Trident nuclear missiles which replace the RN’s Vanguard class and will form Britain’s Continuous At-Sea Deterrent (CASD) from the 2030s onwards.
And as revealed earlier this year in the Government’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR), up to 12 new SSN-AUKUS attack submarines are planned for the RN, in addition to the four Dreadnought-class boats.
A contingent docking facility is legally required as part of the Dreadnought programme, Sir Nick explained, adding: “She can’t go back into Barrow and she can’t get into Devonport, so she needs a contingency site… More broadly, if you’re going to have a larger fleet, when you’ve got 12 attack submarines not seven, two bases feels too exposed. Having a third base becomes part of the debate.”
And Mr Lockwood said: “The aim is to be able to start bringing nuclear submarines in here again, not to break them up, but working submarines.”
Defence Procurement Minister Maria Eagle recently revealed the cost of the contingent dock works at Rosyth in a written parliamentary response.
Dismantling, recycling and disposal of old RN submarines is already being carried out at Rosyth under the Submarine Dismantling Project (SDP), beginning with HMS Swiftsure, upon which works are already well under way. Eventually about 90% of the boat is expected to be recycled.
Another six more decommissioned nuclear-powered boats are also awaiting disposal on site. A further 15 are docked at HMNB Devonport in Devon, England, and at least five more submarines are expected to leave service in the coming years.
- You can read the full tabled Parliamentary question and its answer on the U.K. Parliament website and more about the SDP on the U.K. Government website