WORK has officially begun on the Successor programme after defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon flew in to Barrow to cut the first piece of steel for one of four new submarines which will be built at the town's shipyard.
Mr Fallon was joined by BAE managing director Tony Johns at an official launch ceremony at Barrow shipyard just days after it was announced that the government pledged £1.3bn towards the first stage of project.
Against a backdrop of Astute-class submarines in Devonshire Dock Hall, Mr Fallon addressed the BAE workforce as phase one of the project formally got underway.
Mr Fallon said: "You are going to be building over the next 20 years the largest and most powerful submarines ever built in Britain.
"You will be the ones electrifying a new generation of engineers to continue building for Britain as well as manufacturing security, prosperity and jobs, you will also manufacture confidence in global Britain.
"Having seen this project reach this great ceremonial milestone today I know that Britain is in very safe hands here."
READ MORE: Vision of new nuclear warhead subs revealed as defence secretary travels to Barrow
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