Rolls-Royce Submarines has been contracted to provide reactors for Australia’s nuclear-powered submarines, as part of the AUKUS trilateral agreement between Australia, the UK and the US.
Rolls-Royce Submarines, based in Derby, UK currently employs more than 4,000 people and designs, manufactures and provides in-service support to the pressurised water reactors that power every boat in the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet.
“We are delighted to be asked to play our part in delivering this element of the AUKUS Agreement and are well prepared to support through our nuclear expertise and engineering excellence. For over 60 years we have provided the power to the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines and we are proud to be playing a critical role in helping Australia acquire their own nuclear propulsion submarine capability,” Steve Carlier , President – Rolls-Royce Submarines said.
Rolls-Royce is currently supporting the existing Astute and Dreadnought boat build programmes through the delivery of reactor plant and associated components. Additionally, it provides frontline support across the world for reactor plant equipment from its Operations Centre in Derby and supports the submarines when in the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard and the naval bases at Devonport and Faslane.
To remind, the first generation of AUKUS nuclear submarines will be built in the UK and Australia, based on the UK’s submarine design.