BRITAIN’S new behemoth submarines equipped with lethal torpedoes, nuclear missiles and stealthy rudders are being built – in preparation to face down Mad Vlad’s Russia.
The colossus HMS Dreadnought will be Britain’s largest and most complex submarine, and is set to inherit the country’s nuclear Trident missiles.
The HMS Dreadnought submarine will become Britain’s next ballistic missile submarine
Sir Keir Starmer and Defence Secretary John Healey met with BAE system apprentices during their visit to Barrow-in-Furness
Sir Keir Starmer formally laid the keel for the build on Thursday, which is a formal recognition for a ship being built – although it is believed that construction started nearly a decade ago.
The awe-inspiring nuclear deterrent subs are expected to set sail in the “early 2030s”, but information suggests that they will be ready for service before 2032.
The Ministry of Defence said in a social media post: “The Dreadnought Class submarines are the largest, most complex and capable submarines ever built in the UK.
“They will start to replace the current Vanguard Class from the early 2030s and keep the UK safe with our continuous at sea nuclear deterrent – 365 days a year.”
The Vanguard class are Britain’s current ballistic missile submarines, were introduced in the 1990s and have a life expectancy of about 25 years.
The jaw-dropping 153.6-metre-long build has been one of the UK’s largest spending projects, and Thursday’s ceremony marked a testament to the inspiring workforce involved in this critical national effort.
King Charles has also agreed to confer the title “Royal” the Port of Barrow in recognition of the town’s special role as the immense vessel’s birthplace.
The subs will have a service life of 35-40 years, which will reduce through-life support costs but add to the high initial price tag of at least £30billion for four vessels.
The submarine was announced hours before Keir Starmer’s “coalition of the willing” summit on a peacekeeping force in Ukraine
The HMS Dreadnought will be the Royal Navy’s largest ever sub
A section of a Dreadnought-class submarine being moved by BAE Systems at its Barrow-in-Furness shipyard
Constructed by BAE systems, the ships have a displacement of 17,200 tonnes each, making them the largest ever submarines built for the royal navy.
HMS Dreadnought will also contain 42.5 kilometres of piping, 13,000 electrical items and over 347 kilometres of cables on board.
While possessing 12 nuclear Trident 2 D5 missiles, the sub can also carry four Spearfish heavyweight medium range torpedoes.
A new propulsion system by Rolls-Royce will also be integrated into the design, as well as new X-rudders, which will help the submarine become even stealthier than its predecessor.
The ship will also sustain itself by manufacturing its own oxygen and fresh water.
There will be a massive crew of 130, including three chefs and a doctor on board.
Modern gym facilities for the crew, classrooms and study areas will also be available on board the gargantuan sub.
Parts of the ship were seen in shocking scenes two years ago, when a 50 metres tall structure passed through the sleepy Cumbrian streets of Barrow-in-Furness near where the sub is being made.
Incredible pictures showed a “mega-unit” of the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine being transported along the streets wrapped in black plastic.
Thursday’s announcement comes as the UK hosts a closed meeting of senior military leaders from the “coalition of the willing” to draw up plans for a proposed peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
The Prime Minister is expected to join the talks with European military leaders after laying the keel for HMS Dreadnought in Barrow.
It is reported that plans for a Western-led peacekeeping force are moving into an operational phase.
The summit comes despite the U.S. President Donald Trump‘s phone call with tyrant Vladimir Putin last week on Thursday where a 30-day ceasefire plan was not agreed on.
A section of a Dreadnought-class submarine was dramatically moved through residential streets in Cumbria in 2023
HMS Dreadnought will succeed the Vanguard ballistic missile submarines Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
