Home / News / MoD awards £1.3bn contract for latest attack submarine
MoD awards £1.3bn contract for latest attack submarine
DB News: 20/11/2015 - 11:47
The Royal Navy has saved both time and money on building Anson, its fifth Astute submarine. The construction has generated a savings of £50 million for the taxpayer during negotiations with BAE systems and the build time is the shortest ever to date (nine months) for the Astute Class.
Defence Minister Philip Dune accounted the award as he visited the submarine manufacturing industry based in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria to view how the build was progressing.
Dunne said: “This £1.3 billion contract marks an important step in the progress of the Astute programme. This is a key part of our £166 billion plan to ensure that our armed forces have the equipment they need to defend the UK’s interests across the seas, in the skies and on land, both at home and abroad.
“This new contract for Anson not only provides significant financial savings of £50 million to the taxpayer but also secures thousands of jobs in Barrow and across the UK supply chain, demonstrating the government’s commitment to increase defence spending each year for the rest of the decade.”
Rear Admiral Mike Wareham, Director of Submarines at the MOD’s Defence Equipment and Support organisation, said: “The Astute Class provides the Royal Navy with the most technologically advanced submarines, offering much greater firepower, better communications, and more advanced stealth technology than their predecessors.
“The first two of class, HMS Astute and HMS Ambush, are already in service and making a vital contribution to the defence of UK’s interest, both at home and overseas. Third of class Artful is undergoing sea trials and is due to be handed over to the Royal Navy by the end of 2015.”
The submarine will feature the latest nuclear-powered technology, enabling it to circumnavigate the world submerged and manufacturing oxygen from seawater as it travels. Despite being 50 per cent bigger than current submarines, the ship has ability to operate covertly and remain undetected in almost all circumstances.
