Babcock pens £750M deal to deliver future submarine capability at Devonport

Defence company Babcock International has signed a four-year £750 million contract with the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA), to deliver the infrastructure required to support and sustain the UK’s submarines for decades to come.

As part of the major infrastructure program underway at the Devonport site, Babcock will deliver substantial upgrades to existing infrastructure that will support the future capability of the Royal Navy and the UK’s Defence Nuclear Enterprise. 

Specifically, the contract for the delivery of infrastructure to support submarine maintenance includes a dock, logistics and modern support facilities.

Furthermore, the agreement orms part of the site-wide infrastructure upgrade program at Devonport to enable the ongoing delivery of base maintenance periods and deep maintenance projects for current and future classes of submarine, including nuclear defuel.

“Delivering on our government’s priority to grow the UK economy, this significant investment will create and sustain more than a thousand UK jobs in the south-west, providing vital improvements to the dockyard that will be critical to ensuring our Royal Navy can continue to protect the UK and our Allies,” Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, said.

“Investing in our vital submarine maintenance facilities in the Defence Nuclear Enterprise at Devonport is critical to our National Security. I am delighted to have placed the construction contract with Babcock for the delivery of dock and infrastructure for our Attack Submarine deep maintenance projects later this decade. This will ensure we deliver available and capable submarines for the Royal Navy to operate in defence of our Nation,” Chris Gardner KBE, CEO of the Submarine Delivery Agency stated.

“The work we deliver in sustaining the entirety of the UK’s submarine fleet is critical. This investment will ensure that we are able to continue to deliver the complex maintenance and life-extension programmes we undertake to ensure our Royal Navy can continue to go to sea safely, and able to deliver their important work in protecting our nation,” David Lockwood, Babcock’s Chief Executive, commented.

The construction program is one of the largest of its kind and highlights the MOD’s investment being made at the Devonport site. Supporting Babcock on 10 Dock are delivery partners Costain and Mott Macdonald, and main works contractor Kier BAM.