BAE Systems to continue Vanguard class successor work
BAE Systems has received additional funding of £257 million for the final phase of design work for the successor to the UK Royal Navy’s Vanguard class submarines, the company announced on 11 March.
This funding follows previous contracts awarded to the company valued at £328 million and £315 million to commence the initial design of the submarine class.
The newly awarded contracts fund the next stage of design work for the new submarine class, which will carry the independent nuclear deterrent of the UK. The programme has successfully undergone a major design review and has completed over half of its five-year assessment phase.
Tony Johns, managing director, submarines, BAE Systems, said: ‘Designing a new, nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine is one of the most challenging engineering projects in the world today. The Successor programme is the largest and most complex project we have ever faced.
‘This funding will now allow us to mature the design over the next 12 months to enable us to start construction in 2016.’
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