Royal Navy: New nuclear submarine HMS Dreadnought construction "remains on track" - when will she enter fleet?

Four ballistic missile underwater vessels are being constructed at the cost of £41bn. The dreadnought-class submarines are being built to bolster the Royal Navy fleet and the British nuclear deterrent.

Ben Obese-Jecty MP, Conservative MP for Huntingdon, asked the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in a parliamentary written question about the vessels completion dates. Minister of defence procurement, Maria Eagle, said exact dates will not be given for security reasons, but has set out a timeframe for when the first of the class, HMS Dreadnought, will enter the fleet.

She said: “The planned in-service dates for Royal Navy submarines are withheld as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness, or security of the Armed Forces. The Dreadnought programme remains on track for the First of Class, HMS Dreadnought, to enter service in the early 2030s.”

HMS Dreadnought’s keel was laid at the end of March, with a symbolic ceremony taking place gathered at the Devonshire Dock Hall - BAE Systems’ submarine construction and assembly facility. Huge sections of the submarine has already been completed.

Ms Eagle confirmed all four of the submarines - HMS Dreadnought, Valiant, Warspite, and King George VI - will carry nuclear-armed Trident II D5 ballistic missiles. HMS Dreadnought displaces more than 17,000 tonnes - the length of 14 buses - and will have a crew of roughly 130.

Mr Obese-Jecty also asked the government why the Royal Navy vessels will be built using French steel rather than British. Ms Eagle responded: “United Kingdom (UK) submarine steel requirements continue to be sourced by our prime contractors from a range of UK and international suppliers.

“This reflects the need to source specific grades of steel, not all of which are available in the UK, and ensures competitive procurement in terms of cost, time and quality. There are no UK suppliers of the specialised steel required in the manufacture of submarine pressure hulls.

“Other grades of steel used in the manufacture of submarines are sourced from a range of suppliers, including a number of UK companies. We encourage the sourcing of UK steel wherever it is technically and commercially feasible and publish our future pipeline of steel requirements, enabling steel manufacturers better to plan and bid for government opportunities.

“This Government is committed to ensuring that defence spending supports British based businesses and economic growth which will be a key tenet in the upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy.”