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| Troubled Astute submarine programme to get another £2.7bn | Troubled Astute submarine programme to get another £2.7bn |
| (8 days later) | |
| The Ministry of Defence will commit another £2.7bn to a troubled hunter-killer submarine programme that has been beset by delays, overspend and technical problems. | The Ministry of Defence will commit another £2.7bn to a troubled hunter-killer submarine programme that has been beset by delays, overspend and technical problems. |
| The Royal Navy is to have seven of the new Astute-class boats – two are undergoing sea trials and a third is near completion. | The Royal Navy is to have seven of the new Astute-class boats – two are undergoing sea trials and a third is near completion. |
| Just under half of the money announced on Monday will be spent on building the fourth of the submarines; the rest will to used to buy the equipment and materials needed for the remaining three boats. | Just under half of the money announced on Monday will be spent on building the fourth of the submarines; the rest will to used to buy the equipment and materials needed for the remaining three boats. |
| The decision will secure 3,000 jobs at the dockyards in Barrow-in-Furness where the Astutes are being built by BAE Systems. | The decision will secure 3,000 jobs at the dockyards in Barrow-in-Furness where the Astutes are being built by BAE Systems. |
| The programme, which has been beset by difficulties since it was commissioned in 1997, is expected to cost up to £10bn for a fleet that is already years late. | The programme, which has been beset by difficulties since it was commissioned in 1997, is expected to cost up to £10bn for a fleet that is already years late. |
| Last month, the Guardian revealed that during sea trials, the first of the class, HMS Astute, had suffered problems that raised questions about the performance and reliability of the boat. | Last month, the Guardian revealed that during sea trials, the first of the class, HMS Astute, had suffered problems that raised questions about the performance and reliability of the boat. |
| HMS Astute cannot reach the top speed the MoD boasted it could, sprang a leak that required it to perform an emergency surfacing, and was fitted with electrical circuit boards that failed the navy's safety standards. | HMS Astute cannot reach the top speed the MoD boasted it could, sprang a leak that required it to perform an emergency surfacing, and was fitted with electrical circuit boards that failed the navy's safety standards. |
| A lead-lined water jacket, which surrounds the submarine's nuclear reactor, was also constructed with metal of the wrong quality. And the living quarters for the 98-strong crew are also more cramped than those on submarines made more than 50 years ago. | A lead-lined water jacket, which surrounds the submarine's nuclear reactor, was also constructed with metal of the wrong quality. And the living quarters for the 98-strong crew are also more cramped than those on submarines made more than 50 years ago. |
| The Astute ran aground two years ago, a calamity that led to the removal of its commander. | The Astute ran aground two years ago, a calamity that led to the removal of its commander. |
| However, the navy is adamant the vessel can overcome the difficulties, and that the three years of rigorous sea trials – which have not yet been completed – will give engineers time to iron out the problems. It says such issues are to be expected in a "first in class", especially as the boats are the navy's most technically advanced. | However, the navy is adamant the vessel can overcome the difficulties, and that the three years of rigorous sea trials – which have not yet been completed – will give engineers time to iron out the problems. It says such issues are to be expected in a "first in class", especially as the boats are the navy's most technically advanced. |
| Some critics have said the Astute programme would have been scrapped years ago but for the need to maintain a submarine-building capability at Barrow – where replacements for the Trident-carrying Vanguard boats are likely to be constructed. | Some critics have said the Astute programme would have been scrapped years ago but for the need to maintain a submarine-building capability at Barrow – where replacements for the Trident-carrying Vanguard boats are likely to be constructed. |
| Rear Admiral Simon Lister, the MoD's director of submarines, said the Astute would become "the jewel in the crown" of the Royal Navy's submarine fleet. "These submarines represent a huge leap forward in technology and will operate all over the world with the Royal Navy. These boats provide the optimum capability a submarine can offer in land strike, strategic intelligence gathering, anti-submarine and surface ship warfare, and protection of the strategic deterrent," he added. | Rear Admiral Simon Lister, the MoD's director of submarines, said the Astute would become "the jewel in the crown" of the Royal Navy's submarine fleet. "These submarines represent a huge leap forward in technology and will operate all over the world with the Royal Navy. These boats provide the optimum capability a submarine can offer in land strike, strategic intelligence gathering, anti-submarine and surface ship warfare, and protection of the strategic deterrent," he added. |
| The defence secretary, Philip Hammond, said: "This funding demonstrates our commitment not only to a key Royal Navy capability, but also to the submarine industry in Barrow, which will play a vital role in Britain's defence for decades to come." | The defence secretary, Philip Hammond, said: "This funding demonstrates our commitment not only to a key Royal Navy capability, but also to the submarine industry in Barrow, which will play a vital role in Britain's defence for decades to come." |
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