Babcock has confirmed it has begun long-lead work on the UK’s future SSN-AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines, with new contracts secured during the past financial year for the first elements of the vessel’s weapon handling and launch systems, UK Defence Journal reports.
The company disclosed the update in its preliminary results for the year ending 31 March 2025, positioning the announcement as a key milestone in its growing contribution to next-generation submarine programmes.
“Our Mission Systems business was awarded two significant contracts in FY25,” the company reported. “These included a contract for Long Lead Items for the Astute replacement, Submersible Ship Nuclear AUKUS (SSNA), enabling us to place orders for the first elements of the Weapon Handling and Launch System.”
The contract represents one of the first known UK industrial contributions to the SSN-AUKUS programme, which will deliver a new class of conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines to the UK and Australia. Babcock’s involvement in providing early components for the launch system suggests a continuity of expertise built up through its work on the Astute and Dreadnought programmes.
The SSN-AUKUS class is intended to replace the UK’s Astute-class submarines from the late 2030s, and form the basis for Australia’s first fleet of nuclear-powered attack submarines under the AUKUS security partnership.
Babcock’s experience in complex submarine manufacture, integration and sustainment across both the Royal Navy’s and US Navy’s strategic deterrent fleets has underpinned its growing role in transatlantic collaboration. The company is already a long-term supplier of missile tube assemblies for the UK’s Dreadnought and US Columbia classes, and this year secured an additional order for 36 tubes from General Dynamics Electric Boat.
“Our leading position in advanced manufacture of missile tube assemblies led to a further contract award of 36 missile tubes by General Dynamics Electric Boat, who is responsible for the design and the construction of the U.S. Naval Columbia submarines programme,”Babcock noted.
The Mission Systems division was also awarded “an additional contract to supply Integrated Tube Hulls in support of the US Columbia Class programme,” further broadening its role across allied submarine programmes.
Babcock’s participation in SSN-AUKUS comes amid a strategic push to increase UK industry’s role in submarine component development and systems integration. As part of AUKUS Pillar 1, the UK and Australia are jointly developing the SSN-AUKUS platform with support from the United States, and the UK is expected to deliver the lead boat for the Royal Navy in the late 2030s.
Babcock is one of several UK defence firms expected to contribute heavily to the design, supply chain, and construction of the class. These initial contracts reflect the early-stage investment now being made to prepare UK industry for the scale and complexity of the SSN-AUKUS build and sustainment programme.
