1 June 2025, 23:41 | Updated: 1 June 2025, 23:48
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The UK is set to build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and invest £15 billion in its warhead programme, under its strategic defence review.
The Prime Minister is set to announce the building of up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and a £15 billion investment in its warhead programme, as part of the Government’s strategic defence review.
The new subs are set to replace the UK’s seven Astute-class submarines, armed with conventional weapons.
The new models will be operational from the late 2030s, joining the four Trident submarines that carry the nation’s at-sea nuclear deterrent.
Significant investment in the UK nuclear warhead programme and maintaining the existing stockpile are among the 62 recommendations that the Government is expected to accept in full.
But questions were also raised about its commitment to defence spending after the Defence Secretary could not confirm the Treasury had guaranteed funding to bring it up to 3% of GDP by 2034.
Building the new submarines, which is part of the Aukus partnership with the US and Australia, will support 30,000 highly skilled jobs into the 2030s as well as 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles across the next 10 years, the Ministry of Defence said.
Read more: Britain will ‘without a doubt’ spend 3 per cent of GDP on defence by 2034, Healey says
Read more: Government announces £1.5bn in extra funding for military homes
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Defence Secretary John Healey said: “Our outstanding submariners patrol 24/7 to keep us and our allies safe, but we know that threats are increasing and we must act decisively to face down Russian aggression.“
“With new state-of-the-art submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead programme on British shores, we are making Britain secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering on our Plan for Change with 30,000 highly skilled jobs across the country.”
The £15 billion investment into the warhead programme will back the Government’s commitments to maintain the continuous-at-sea nuclear deterrent, build a new fleet of Dreadnought submarines and deliver all future upgrades.
From the late 2030s, the fleet of up to 12 SSN-Aukus conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines will replace seven astute class attack submarines the UK is due to start operating.
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In response to the strategic defence review, the Government will also commit to:
– Getting the armed forces to a stage where it would be ready to fight a war
– Boosting weapons and equipment stockpiles and making sure there is capacity to scale up production if needed in a crisis or war
– Buying up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons in a move due to support 800 defence jobs
– Setting up a new cyber command and investing £1 billion in digital capabilities
– More than £1.5 billion of additional funding to repair and renew armed forces housing.
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Sir Keir Starmer will say: “National security is the foundation of my Plan for Change, and this plan will ensure Britain is secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering a defence dividend of well-paid jobs up and down the country.
“This strategic defence review will ensure the UK rises to the challenge and our armed forces have the equipment they need that keeps us safe at home while driving greater opportunity for our engineers, shipbuilders and technicians of the future.”
The Conservatives and Lib Dems questioned Labour’s commitment to funding the promises it was making.
The Government has previously set out its “ambition to reach 3% in the next parliament”, after meeting its pledge to ratchet up defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027.
Mr Healey had said there was “no doubt” the UK would reach 3% in an interview with The Times.
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But on Sunday, he sidestepped questions about whether he had any guarantee from the Treasury to provide the funding.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said the promises will be “taken with a pinch of salt” unless Labour can show there will be “enough money to pay for them”.
He said: “These submarines are not due to enter service till the late 2030s, so how can we have any confidence Labour will actually deliver them when they can’t even sustain a policy on defence spending for more than 48 hours?”
Lib Dem defence spokesperson Helen Maguire said the news signals “the right intent” but Labour’s “mere ‘ambition’” rather than “commitment” leaves “serious questions about whether the money for these projects will actually be forthcoming”.
“The 2034 timeline suggests a worrying lack of urgency from the Government,” she added.