Babcock wins $707 million HMS Victorious support and upgrade contract
HMS Victorious has been undergoing maintenance and life-extension work. (Photo: Babcock International)
The UK Royal Navy’s Vanguard class of ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) provide the UK with its continuous-at-sea deterrent (CASD) coverage and have done so since 1994 when the boats started to replace the Resolution-class submarines. Second of class, HMS Victorious, entered service in 1995.
Babcock International will undertake a planned deep maintenance and life extension programme for UK Royal Navy’s HMS Victorious Vanguard-class nuclear submarine.
The deal, worth approximately £560 million (US$707 million), will allow the submarine to continue operational patrols into the 2030s. Work on the submarine has already started following a commitment by the UK Department of Defence to authorise early works from July 2023.
HMS Victorious has become the second Vanguard-class submarine to undergo a life extension package at Babcock’s Devonport facility.
Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Martin Connell said: “The overhaul of HMS Victorious will allow the boat to carry out deterrent patrols until the next generation of submarines, the Dreadnought-class, enter service.”
The Vanguard-class has been under the spotlight recently with a failed missile launch from HMS Vanguard in January and a fire onboard HMS Victorious in 2022.
The class’s replacement, Dreadnought, has been progressing with steel cut for the third of class, HMS Warspite, in February 2023 and the transport-first pressure hull unit for the first Dreadnought-class to Devonshire Dock Hall in Barrow in northern England for outfitting the previous December.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Dreadnought Class (Successor Programme) (1-4) [UK]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US Coast Guard prepares acquisition process of up to seven light icebreakers]()
US Coast Guard prepares acquisition process of up to seven light icebreakers
The USCG plans to award a contract this year for the construction of Homeland Security Cutters. The new vessels will replace the 60-plus-year-old fleet of Light Icebreaking Tugs.
-
![RTX Raytheon enhances SM-3 and SM-6 production capacity]()
RTX Raytheon enhances SM-3 and SM-6 production capacity
The expansion of the Redstone facility in Alabama will enable Raytheon to increase production of Standard Missiles in the location by 50% and support Washington in refilling stockpiles after recent operations have depleted the Pentagon’s reserves.
-
![What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement]()
What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement
Major naval initiatives including the European Patrol Corvette programmes and Norway’s UK partnership-focused purchase of Type 26 frigates point to the growing interest in the advantages of commonality across allied navies.
-
![How Operation Epic Fury could reduce US readiness to face China]()
How Operation Epic Fury could reduce US readiness to face China
The offensive against Iran could impact training and maintenance cycles and accelerate the degradation of the US arsenal on top of depleting Washington’s stockpiles.
