£15m boost for Babcock

ROSYTH DOCKYARD’S owners have won a substantial part of the £ 350m contract to design Britain’s next generation of nuclear submarines.

While most of the £350m contract — which will replace the UK’S fleet of four Faslane-based Trident nuclear submarines by 2028 — will go to BAE Systems, Babcock has been awarded £15m to cover design aspects on in-service support.

Meanwhile, Rolls-royce, which has a plant at Hillend near Dalgety Bay, has been granted around £4m for work on the submarines’ reactor design.

BAE Systems Maritime — Submarines, which will work on the overall submarine design, said the £328m contract will sustain 1,000 jobs at its site in Barrow-in-furness, Cumbria.

The first Successor submarine is due to delivered in 2028, replacing the Vanguard Class vessels which currently carry-trident.

A decision on the final design and build will not be made until 2016, but the Ministry of Defence said detailed work has to take place now.

Babcock managing director John Hudson said of the announcement: “Not only does it help sustain the jobs of over 1,000 skilled employees currently working on the programme, it also provides the opportunity to grow our workforce by a further 280 in 2012.”

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: “This Government is committed to maintaining a continuous submarine-based nuclear deterrent.

“The contracts announced today with BAE Systems, Babcock and Rolls-royce symbolise an important step towards renewing our nation’s nuclear deterrent into the 2060s.

“We have a world-class submarine-building industry in this country and this programme will help to sustain or create more than 1,900 jobs across the UK.

“By making the core equipment programme fully funded and affordable, we are able to confirm additional equipment projects which help safeguard our national security.”

First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, said: “The Royal Navy has been operating continuously at sea deterrent patrols for more than 40 years and the Successor submarines will allow us to do so well into the future with cutting-edge equipment.”

The announcement could cause tensions within the coalition Government — the agreement stated that the Lib Dems would “make the case for alternatives” to fullscale replacement of the ageing Trident system.

Among those savouring the sunshine at Broughty Ferry beach yesterday were (from left) Shannon Clark, Shaun Mcgann and Charlene Stewart, all 16, from St Mary’s in Dundee.