Rolls-Royce awarded £85m Navy submarine contract, safeguarding 100 jobs

THE development of the new generation of Royal Navy submarines is set to safeguard jobs at one Derby’s largest employers.

Rolls-Royce says 100 jobs will be sustained after it was awarded a contract by the UK Government to deliver, design and concept work for a new class of submarine. The firm has been awarded the £85 million contract, along with BAE Systems in

Barrow-in-Furness, to create a replacement for its nuclear-powered fleet of Astute Class submarines.

It comes after a new alliance was announced between the UK, the United States and Australia, known as AUKUS, with an agreement to build at least eight submarines.

Rolls-Royce said the investment will ensure 100 roles are maintained, with employees to be redeployed to the Astute replacement programme.

It is understood early design work is on plans to develop a new nuclearpowered submarine known as a Submersible Ship Nuclear Replacement (SSNR).

A Rolls-Royce spokesperson said: “This contract brings vital stability and reassurance, allowing our business to mature the Nuclear Steam Raising Plant programme into its final design phase. This programme is significant in bringing medium to long term stability to the business with the opportunity to productionise reactor technology, whilst modernising our approach to meet the future demands of the Submarines Enterprise.”

It is the latest jobs announcement at Rolls-Royce since June, when the company announced hundreds of new roles will be created by a move to develop electric aircraft.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “This multi-million pound investment ensures this vital capability will be ready to replace our Astute Class submarines as they come out of service, whilst supporting high-skilled jobs across the Midlands and North West of England.”