By STUART KLOSINSKI, Industrial development manager for Furness Enterprise

Last updated at 14:03, Tuesday, 19 June 2012

WITH the imminent announcement of an order for a new nuclear reactor for the Royal Navy’s planned successor deterrent submarine fleet, it is an appropriate time to look at what is happening on both sides of the Atlantic and see how the American nuclear-powered, missile-carrying submarine programme is developing.

PUTTING FURNESS FIRST: Stuart Klosinski, industrial development manager at the Furness Enterprise

The UK’s decision to invest in a PWR 3 reactor system at Derby and Barrow benefits companies involved in the supply chains of Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems.

The reactor components made at Derby were historically transported to Barrow then fully integrated and tested here – in fact for many years Barrow has been the only place in Britain where new reactors have been assembled, integrated commissioned and tested.

The workforce here in Barrow and Derby has unique nuclear power generation expertise.

According to a Congressional Budget Office Report issued on June 12, the American plan involves deferring the start of what they term SSBN(X) procurement by two years, to 2021. They will design their boats for a 40-year life.

While the UK plans to deliver its first Vanguard replacement boat in 2028, or about four years later than previously planned, 12 US boats will be procured between 2021 and 2035, with the first operational in 2030 instead of 2029 as originally planned. The 12th enters service in 2042.

The US Navy’s proposed 2013 budget requests $564.9m for continued research and development work on the Ohio replacement programme.

Total acquisition cost of this is $90,433.5m, including $11,142.8m (about $11.1bn) in research and development costs and $79,290.7m (about $79.3bn) in procurement costs.

The procurement cost of the lead US boat is forecast to be $11.7bn, including $4.5bn in detailed design and non-recurring engineering costs for the entire class, and $7.2bn in construction costs. Cost-reduction efforts have reduced the estimated average unit procurement cost of boats 2 to 12 to $5.6bn.

The US boats will be designed for a 40-year expected service life, be equipped with a life-of-the-ship nuclear fuel core, an electric-drive propulsion plant, have launch tubes that are the same size as those on the Ohio class, a submerged displacement about the same as that of the Ohio-class design and be fitted with the most up-to-date capabilities and stealth to ensure they are survivable throughout their full 40-year life span.

Tomorrow (20/6) the Keep Our Future Afloat Campaign meets in Barrow to plan its lobby activity over the next six months, targeting politicians and industry leaders. Part of the message will focus on championing Ministry of Defence procurement from UK companies and reinforcing Anglo-US cooperation on deterrent programmes as crucial ways of sustaining critical skills.

First published at 13:24, Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk