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Manufacturing

Plymouth's Babcock wins £34m Dreadnought nuclear submarine contract

Engineering giant given two-year extension to support scheme for new sub programme thereby sustaining and creating jobs

Staff at Babcock's Devonport dockyard operation(Image: Matt Gilley)

Engineering giant Babcock has secured a £34m Government contract to work on the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ’s new Dreadnought nuclear submarines - safeguarding more than 100 jobs in Plymouth and creating dozens more.

The company’s submarine operation at Devonport Royal Dockyard has been given a two-year contrast extension to provide support to the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) for the new fleet of submarines and will carry out essential work on the Dreadnought programme.

Through the contract, Babcock will deliver the components that make up the Dreadnought support solution, helping to sustain 130 jobs and create 30 more.

The contract will design the framework to provide the project management, whole-boat analysis and integrated logistics support needed to assist with future stages of the Dreadnought Programme, commonly referred to as the renewal or replacement of Trident, which will see the design, development and manufacture of four new Dreadnought class ballistic missile submarines that will maintain the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ’s nuclear posture of Continuous at Sea Deterrence.

How one of the new Dreadnought nuclear submarines could look (Image: Ministry of Defence)

Gavin Barlow, Babcock’s submarine engineering director, said: “We are pleased to secure the next phase of this contract which enables us to continue providing our unique knowledge and insight as we jointly develop a world leading, data driven, Integrated Product Support Solution for the Dreadnought class”

Commodore John Macdonald, Submarine Delivery Agency’s head of submarine supply and support, said: “This is great news for the Dreadnought programme and the Babcock Marine team. The continuation of this contract will define the maintenance requirements that will inform the in-service support solution for the Dreadnought Class of Submarine”.

Announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in November 2020, the Ministry of Defence has received an increase in funding of more than £24bn across the next four years, focussing on the ability to adapt to meet future threats.