BELFAST — The trilateral AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine program is suffering from “shortcomings and failings” that threaten its development, according to a report from UK defense committee lawmakers published today.
“Timely investment in upgrading the BAE Systems shipyard at Barrow [England] where SSN-AUKUS will be built will be crucial,” the report stresses. “This has already slipped: any further failures could lead to delay in delivering SSN-AUKUS with serious consequences both for UK national security and for credibility with AUKUS partners.”
Partner nations under AUKUS Pillar 1 are committed to the supply of three to five US-made Virginia-class submarines to Australia ahead of building future SSN-AUKUS vessels for both the UK and Australia.
The limitations and faults linked to delivery of the high profile naval effort are endangering its “promise becoming a reality,” warns the document, which also claims that local political leadership under British Prime Minister Kier Starmer “has faded.”
The report urges Starmer to “take a more visible role in promoting and driving forward AUKUS to counter the political drift that could see it derailed.”
The report does not explain the reason for the shipyard investment delay, but at a broader level, months-long postponement of publication of the UK’s Defence Investment Plan (DIP) has led to uncertainty around funding for major weapon system acquisitions. A firm timetable for publication of the document, initially set for release in autumn 2025, has since been withdrawn by the UK MoD. The DIP is expected to spell out national procurement priorities for the next decade.
A UK government spokesperson declined to comment on why the planned shipyard upgrade investment has been delayed, but said in a statement that based on “record investment in Barrow and Derby [Rolls Royce’s nuclear reactor manufacturing base], we will produce a submarine every 18 months and [this] will allow us to grow our nuclear-powered attack submarine fleet to up to 12.”
In collaboration with the US and Australia, the UK is “already delivering across the programme, investing over £6 billion ($8.1 billion) to deliver continuous submarine production,” said the spokesperson, adding, “we remain fully committed to delivering next-generation capabilities through AUKUS into the Armed Forces of all three countries.”
Analysts previously told Breaking Defense that it will take lucrative investment in local shipbuilding for the UK to acquire such a fleet, with each future submarine estimated to cost $3.4 billion.
A BAE Systems spokesperson said in a statement that the company continues to “work closely with our customers and partners on the SSN-AUKUS programme as we advance progress on the detailed design phase and procurement of long-lead items for the new submarines.
“Substantial work has also commenced to increase the capability, capacity and resilience of infrastructure, both in Barrow and across the supply chain, to meet future delivery rates and secure the long-term benefits of the submarine enterprise.”
The AUKUS report also claims that the Royal Navy’s Astute-class nuclear-powered submarines have been “stretched” to, or “even beyond,” their limits because of a commitment to increase port visits and rotate out of Australia. These rotations are meant to maintain AUKUS credibility among partner nations.
For example, the Defence Committee pointed to news stories of HMS Anson — reportedly the only Astute-class vessel available — cutting short a visit to Australia in order to redeploy in the wake of the Iran conflict.
“With submarine availability critically low, and against a backdrop of deepening concern about the readiness of the Royal Navy, the Government must deliver infrastructure improvements at HMNB Devonport [England] and HMNB Clyde [Scorland] at pace to relieve pressure on the fleet,” adds the lawmaker recommendations. “Failure to do so will risk the UK’s ability to meet its obligations under AUKUS whilst continuing to maintain security in the Euro-Atlantic.”
