Devonport seals £750m submarine base expansion

Dockyard operator Babcock International Group has signed a four-year £750m contract with the MOD’s Submarine Delivery Agency to deliver the infrastructure required.

The contract for the delivery of infrastructure to support submarine maintenance includes a dock, logistics and modern support facilities, and underpins the wider role Babcock plays in sustaining the entirety of the UK submarine fleet.

Crucial to the UK submarine programme, the contract forms part of the site-wide infrastructure upgrade programme 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.

Sir Chris Gardner, CEO of the Submarine Delivery Agency said: “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.”

The construction programme is one of the largest of its kind and highlights the MOD’s investment being made at the Devonport site.

A key part of the wider overall programme is already advancing with the rebuilding of Dock 10.

10 Dock (pictured centre) is being built to support new Dreadnought-class missile submarines

Supporting Babcock on 10 Dock are delivery partners Costain and Mott Macdonald, and main works contractor Kier BAM.

This framework deal also allows for other call-off contracts for extra dock upgrade works around the base.

Enabling works have begun and a design phase will continue until 2024, by which time construction will have started, and will run until 2026.

The major infrastructure programme will see a further 1,000 construction roles created as the construction phase of the programme continues to ramp up over the coming year.

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