- First UK SSN-AUKUS starts build in 2027; entry into service planned for late 2030s
- £4bn already contracted; UK boat numbers to be decided by 2028
- Production and infrastructure ramp-up underway (Barrow cadence, Rolls-Royce reactors, site upgrades)
The UK Government has confirmed that steel will be cut on the first UK SSN-AUKUS nuclear-powered attack submarine in 2027, with decisions to be taken on the actual number of boats being procured before the end of the Detailed Design and Long Lead (D2L2) phase in 2028.
Publishing its updated Defence Nuclear Enterprise 2026 Annual Update to Parliament on 15 September, the UK Government outlined updates on the SSN-AUKUS, Dreadnought, and Astute nuclear-powered submarine programmes, as well as developments in nuclear infrastructure.
Regarding SSN-AUKUS, which will deliver a fleet of nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) to the UK and Australia, the report detailed that the programme was “progressing through the [D2L2] phase”, with contracts worth £4bn ($5.39bn) already placed.
“On current plans, steel will be cut on the first UK SSN-AUKUS submarine in 2027, marking the start of production. The programme remains focused on delivering the first Royal Navy SSN-AUKUS submarine into service in the late 2030s,” the report stated.
Notably, this timeline aligns roughly with the build schedule achieved for the first-in-class of the Astute-class SSNs, of which there are now five in service, with two further boats to be delivered.
It took nearly six years from laying down to the launch of HMS Astute, and a further seven years before the boat was finally ready for operational service. This glacial pace of development and delivery is typical of UK submarine manufacturing, notwithstanding that the programmes are exceedingly complex.
The UK has resorted to requesting assistance from the US for technical support and equipment for the AUKUS submarine programme, it was reported earlier in 2026.
Previous UK Government plans include increasing the tempo of submarine manufacturing at the BAE Systems yard in Barrow-in-Furness significantly, targeting “a continuous production cadence of one SSN-AUKUS submarine every 18 months”, the report stated.
In doing so, this will double the current build rate and enable the parallel construction of both SSN and SSBN classes, the UK Government claimed.
UK upgrading submarine infrastructure
Meanwhile, plans are ongoing to increase nuclear reactor production rates at the Rolls-Royce site in Raynesway, with considerable financial support from Australia. BAE Systems is also looking to expand its Barrow footprint, with concept design for SMITE2, the new submarine propulsion testing facility, completed in early 2026.
The new report also revealed that remediation at Ramsden Dock had also “advanced”, with critical site preparation for future major manufacturing infrastructure development.
The lack of clarity regarding the intended number of SSN-AUKUS submarines the UK will acquire is a slight backtrack on previous commitments for “up to 12” new boats, with additional details now locked behind a new 2028 timeline.
What factors have served to create this change in tone is unknown, but it is notable that the UK Government recently opted to axe the planned Type 83 air defence destroyers in favour of a class of as-yet-undesigned Type 9X drone warships.
Elements of this Type 9X family of drone warships included subsurface vessels, which could prove a potential hurdle, should the Royal Navy seek to return to naval relevance in the coming years.
