MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
035/97 March 17, 1997
MOD TO BUY NEW SUBMARINES IN #2 BILLION CONTRACT
The Ministry of Defence has now agreed a #2 billion contract for
three nuclear-powered fleet submarines. The new boats, to be known as
the Astute Class, will enter service early next century.
The Astute Class:
- is a development of the Navy's Trafalgar Class
- will replace the older Swiftsure Class
- will have a range of roles, including anti-submarine and anti-
ship warfare.
They will carry:
- Spearfish torpedoes
- Harpoon anti-ship missiles
- Tomahawk land attack missiles
The boats will be built by GEC-Marconi at their VSEL shipyard in
Barrow. This will be the first time the MOD has procured submarines
with one prime contractor for design, build and in-service support.
The Royal Navy currently has twelve nuclear-powered fleet submarines
- five Swiftsure, seven Trafalgar Class.
In answer to a Parliamentary Question from David Martin MP
(Portsmouth South), the Minister for Defence Procurement, James
Arbuthnot, said:
"I am pleased to announce that a contract has been placed with GEC-
Marconi as prime contractor for the design, build and initial support
of three Batch 2 Trafalgar Class submarines. The new boats will be
known as the Astute Class, and are expected to enter service early
next century. The submarines will be built at GEC-Marconi's VSEL
shipyard in Barrow.
"The new vessels will be powered by the Rolls Royce PWR2 nuclear
reactor, fitted with the updated weapons system of Batch 1 Trafalgar
Class submarines, and armed with the Spearfish torpedo and Submarine-
Harpoon anti-ship missile. They will be able to carry conventionally-
armed Tomahawk cruise missiles. The Astute Class will replace the
Royal Navy's existing Swiftsure Class boats as these vessels reach
the end of their operational lives in the early part of the next
century. They will perform a wide range of roles, including anti-
submarine and anti-surface warfare.
"The order was won in competition with VSEL, before the company was
taken over by GEC-Marconi, and the decision was based on what would
provide the best value for money for the taxpayer. The contract will
be worth nearly #2 billion to GEC-Marconi and their subcontractors,
and will help to sustain around 7000 jobs. It has been warmly
welcomed by the Royal Navy, and is good news for Barrow and the many
subcontractors who will be working on the project across the UK."
Notes to Editors
The Astute Class - formerly known as the Batch 2 Trafalgar Class -
will replace the Royal Navy's current Swiftsure Class SSN's, the
first of which entered service in 1973. The performance specification
of the Astute Class is similar to that of the updated Trafalgar
Class, though they will be powered by the Rolls Royce PWR2 nuclear
reactor developed for the Vanguard Class ballistic missile
submarines. The submarines' reactor cores are designed to last the
life of the vessel.
The Invitation to Tender for the submarines was issued in July 1994
to GEC and VSEL. Bids were received in June 1995, and shortly
afterwards GEC bought out VSEL. The bids were kept apart to preserve
competition and tender assessment was completed in December of the
same year. The preferred bidder, on the basis of value-for-money and
technical superiority, was GEC-Marconi. It was still necessary to
negotiate an acceptable price, and while this has taken some time,
the result is a taut contract giving excellent value-for-money to the
taxpayer.
Some 7000 jobs will be secured as a result of this order, at a
variety of locations across the UK; further details are set out in
the following table.
Company Location Contribution
GEC-Marconi Addlestone Prime contract office
Ediburgh Weapon system
electronics
Frimley Weapons integration
& performance modelling
Weymouth Weapons systems
integration
GEC-Marine/VSEL Barrow-in-Furness Submarine design &
assembly
BAeSEMA New Malden Combat system software
Glasgow Ship engineering
Dorchester Combat system
integration
Thomson Templecombe, Sensor equipment
Marconi Church Cookham, (including Sonar Suite
and Stockport 2076)
Rolls-Royce & Derby and Nuclear steam raising
Associates Bath Plant
Strachan & Henshaw Bristol Weapon handling
& discharge system
# = pounds sterling
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