Reducing Dreadnought and Follow On SSN Risks, Costs and Time to Achieve an Operational Capability

By RAdm Peter Briggs RAN

Message from the Editor

The author argues that the delays in Astute and Dreadnought development threatens the success of the AUKUS plan for a next generation SSN: Both the RAN and RN should consider buying future USN Virginia-class submarines to quickly fulfill the SSN-AUKUS mandate. A 10 minute read.

The UK is struggling to sustain the continuous at sea deterrent, introduce a new class of SSBNs to relieve the hard-pressed Vanguard-class, whilst simultaneously developing a design for the next generation SSN. This article sets out the case for the next generation of Royal Navy SSNs to be a modification of the USN’s Virginia-class, rather than a new, unproven, British Aerospace (BAE) Systems-led design as is currently intended. During the period 1999 to 2009, the UK commissioned no new submarines. Consequently, the workforce at its main submarine building facility, BAE Barrow, was dramaticall…

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