MoD awards BAE Systems £1.3bn contract for fifth Astute submarine

Anson is scheduled to leave for sea trials in 2020

BAE Systems has been awarded a contract for the delivery of the fifth Astute-class submarine, taking the total value for work on the vessel to £1.3 billion. 

The contract covers the design and remaining build, test and commissioning activities on Anson, the fifth of seven technologically-advanced submarines in the class.

Anson is being constructed at the company's site in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria and is scheduled to leave for sea trials in 2020.

Tony Johns, managing director of BAE Systems Submarines, said: "HMS Astute and HMS Ambush are already demonstrating their world-class capabilities with the Royal Navy, whilst the third submarine in the class, Artful, is continuing with her sea trials.

"The build phase for the fourth, Audacious, is also well advanced, so we continue to make positive progress across the programme."  

Astute-class submarines are powered by a nuclear-reactor, each will provide land strike, strategic intelligence-gathering, anti-submarine and surface ship warfare capabilities.

Boat six Agamemnon and the yet-to-be named seventh boat are also under construction in Barrow.