Ministry of Defense Unveils Its New Successor Subs

In a recent update to Parliament concerning the development of its future submarine fleet, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) released concept images of its future ballistic missile sub – the Successor.

In development since 2006, the Successor will be powered by a Rolls-Royce PWR3 nuclear reactor that won’t require refueling, and the sub will have the ability to carry 12 Trident D5 ballistic nukes.

Cutting a streamlined design, the Successor also builds upon the design and manufacturing methods employed in the Royal Navy’s Astute-class attack subs, which are currently under construction.

According to the MoD plans, the Successor sub will first see service in 2028, and will patrol the seas until 2060. Carrying a price tag of $18-23 billion a piece, British officials are still unsure just how many Successors will be produced by UK shipyards.

While the costs of the Successor program have inspired some concerns in Britain, Admiral Sir George Michael Zambellas, a former sub lieutenant, is confident in the boat’s abilities. "The Royal Navy has been operating continuous at-sea deterrent patrols for more than 40 years and the Successor submarines will allow us to do so with cutting-edge equipment well into the future."

What’s more, Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond also pointed out that the “The Successor programme is supporting around 2,000 jobs, and up to 850 British businesses could benefit from the supply chain as we exploit the most modern technologies and employ a significant portion of the UK’s engineers, project managers and technicians over the coming years.”

Given that BAE Systems Maritime has just been awarded two contracts worth $136M to design the sub, it seems safe to say that the Royal Navy will be christening a new line of nuclear powered ballistic subs sometimes in the late 2020s.

Images Courtesy of Ministry of Defence