The federal government has acknowledged that there are at the moment no plans to make use of Gibraltar for the dry docking of Royal Navy nuclear submarines.
Responding to a written query from Lord West of Spithead, Defence Minister Lord Coaker mentioned that “evaluation of docking capability for the upkeep of submarines and warships is the topic of ongoing evaluation as a part of the Royal Navy’s planning course of.”
He added that “the Naval Assist Built-in World Community (NSIGN) programme is an integral a part of this,” however confirmed that “there aren’t any present plans to mandate using Gibraltar for submarine dry docking.”
Earlier this yr, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that work is underway to improve the UK’s submarine docking and upkeep infrastructure to accommodate the following technology of ballistic missile submarines. In response to questions from Graeme Downie MP, then Defence Minister Maria Eagle mentioned that the federal government is modernising present dockyards and bases to assist the 4 deliberate Dreadnought-class submarines, which can exchange the present Vanguard-class fleet.
Eagle acknowledged that “for operational safety causes, additional particulars can’t be launched as to take action may very well be used to undermine the safety and functionality of our Armed Forces.”
She added that the Dreadnought programme “stays on observe to fabricate 4 Dreadnought-class submarines throughout the unique price estimate of £41 billion, consisting of £31 billion and a contingency of £10 billion.”
The primary of the brand new submarines, HMS Dreadnought, is anticipated to enter service within the early 2030s, sustaining the UK’s Steady At-Sea Deterrence into the 2060s.