Aukus: UK to develop 'hunter-killer' submarine programme with BAE systems

Defence Secretary Shapps says contracts have been signed with BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and Babcock Marine, and will support thousands of jobs in the UK

British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps speaks at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester on Sunday. EPA

The UK government has signed contracts worth £4 billion ($4.8 billion) with British companies to develop a “hunter-killer” submarine programme.

The submarines, which will be nuclear-powered and conventionally armed, are going to be the “most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy”, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said on Sunday.

RAF Typhoons have also been sent to Poland to support the British ally from the “threat of Russian interference”, and hundreds of extra troops will be deployed in Kosovo after a request from Nato, Mr Shapps added.

“Today, I can announce that we’ve signed contracts worth £4 billion with leading British businesses to drive forward the development of the most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy,” Mr Shapps said, speaking on the main stage of the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.

Mr Shapps said “these hunter-killer Aukus submarines will empower the Royal Navy to maintain our strategic advantage under the sea”, and will support “thousands of jobs”.

The Conservative Party said the contracts have been signed with BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and Babcock Marine, and will support thousands of British jobs.

Grant Shapps arrives to speak on the opening day of the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester on Sunday. Bloomberg

Mr Shapps also told the conference: “I can announce the UK has stepped up again with two deployments. First in response to requests from our Polish friends, RAF Typhoons are landing in Poland as I speak to support our Nato ally with the greater threat of Russian interference.

“I authorised the full deployment of a battalion-size UK strategic reservists to Nato’s Kosovo peacekeeping mission.

“In the days ahead, hundreds of soldiers from the 1st battalion Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment will join 400 British servicemen and women already in Kosovo.”