Pressing a simple button signalled the start of multi-billion-pound project which will see the construction of the fourth and final Dreadnought Class submarine at BAE Systems’ facility in Barrow yet will have an impact on businesses all over the UK.
Defence Secretary John Healey set the machinery to work on King George VI, marking the start of its construction in a sector which now supports more than 13,500 jobs in Barrow alone.
“Submarine building is a vital UK industry, sustaining thousands of jobs and apprenticeships up and down the country, all while continuing to keep the country safe around the clock,” defence secretary John Healey said.
“Barrow is an outstanding example of security and growth working hand-in-hand – adding a new attack submarine to the Royal Navy’s fleet, building the next generation of nuclear-armed submarines, and simultaneously supporting thousands of skilled local jobs and apprenticeships.”
Earlier this year independent research by Oxford Economics found that BAE Systems spent £100m with local suppliers in the town while nationwide, the company contributed £13.7 billion to national GDP in 2024, accounting for one in every £200 of the country’s economic output.
Entering service from the early 2030s, the Dreadnought Class will provide the next generation of the UK’s nuclear deterrence patrol submarines, ensuring the nation’s security for decades to come.
“The steel cutting of the fourth boat in the Dreadnought Class is a significant milestone marking positive progress in this extraordinary programme,” Chief of Defence Nuclear Madelaine McTernan said.
“Delivering these submarines is a truly national endeavour with a vast UK supply chain, culminating in the build at the Royal Port of Barrow. It is a proud moment for the thousands who contribute to the Defence Nuclear Enterprise.”
A further £6 billion is being invested in the defence nuclear sector over this Spending Review period, including in Barrow, to help increase the submarine production rate to a new submarine every 18 months in future years.
The UK’s defence nuclear sector supports over 47,000 jobs across the country, and this is expected to grow to 65,000 by 2030.
Currently, around 1,800 apprentices and 500 graduates are training in Barrow as part of BAE Systems’ Submarines Academy for Skills and Knowledge.
