On 3 July, Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd, which is contracted to manufacture the next generation of nuclear reactors for the UK Royal Navy’s submarine fleet as well as the SSN-AUKUS fleet of nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarines for Australia, issued a press release announcing the start of “foundational work on its new manufacturing facility, as part of plans to double the size of its Raynesway site in Derby”.
First announced in June 2023, the Ministry of Defence-funded expansion aims to increase manufacturing capacity in support of these future submarine programmes. The event marking the commencement of the works was attended by the Minister of State for Defence, Vernon Coaker, the President of Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd, and the Director for Nuclear Propulsion at the Submarine Delivery Agency, Commodore Alistair Moody. Previous analysis by NIS of planning applications submitted to Derby City Council suggests that six of the proposed buildings will likely be used for manufacturing purposes. By late 2025, Derby City council introduced plans to enter a Planning Performance Agreement with Rolls Royce to collaborate on managing the expansion, covering details such as timescales and key programme milestones to be met.
This follows Rolls-Royce securing the eight-year, £9 billion Unity contract last year, which was described as “its biggest ever deal with the Ministry of Defence”, to manufacture submarine reactors. The success of the wider submarine programmes is closely tied to the timely and effective completion of this project, as these reactors will power both the UK’s future submarine fleet and Australia’s SSN-AUKUS submarines. According to the Defence Nuclear Enterprise Command Paper, the expansion is expected to create hundreds of new jobs in the Derby area, including through the Nuclear Skills Academy. The Academy is a partnership between Rolls-Royce and the University of Derby that aims to develop and sustain a pipeline of skilled personnel to support the UK’s submarine nuclear programme. It is one of several examples of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise relying on and deepening partnerships between industry and academia to meet the growing demand for nuclear skills across the UK.
photo credit: Rolls Royce LinkedIn