Great Britain plans to build 12 new nuclear attack submarines in preparation for possible armed aggression from Russia. Their commissioning is expected at the end of the 2030s. About this informs Reuters.
The new submarines will replace the existing seven Astute-class nuclear submarines with conventional weapons, and will also strengthen the naval component of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, which currently includes four Trident missile submarines.
These submarines will be part of the AUKUS defense alliance established in 2021 between Great Britain, the United States and Australia. The pact envisages the joint development of a submarine fleet, the exchange of technology and intelligence. In total, 20 submarines are planned to be built within AUKUS.
On June 2, the armed forces of Great Britain will be given recommendations on the transition to a state of heightened combat readiness. The new Strategic Defense Review will detail today’s threats and the technologies needed to counter them. Britain already has its own fleet of nuclear submarines, and for the first time the government has officially announced that building a new nuclear warhead to replace the current model will cost £15 billion.
Defense Minister John Gilley emphasized that the country should be prepared for potential aggression from Russia, and the review itself should serve as a clear signal to Moscow about Great Britain’s readiness to conduct active hostilities.
The UK is also investing more than £1 billion (about US$1.4 billion) in a new digital guidance system that will allow the armed forces to identify and destroy targets more quickly as part of the country’s defense modernization.
