MP for Barrow and Furness Simon Fell visited Devonport to see how Barrow-built nuclear submarines are managed.

As Co-Chair of the All Party Group on AUKUS, Mr Fell travelled from London to Devonport to meet the dockyard team from Babcock to see how they maintain, repair, refuel, and later, decommission the vessels.

AUKUS is the defence and security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States which was announced in September 2021.

BAE Systems is playing a key role in helping to deliver the first nuclear-powered submarines. 

Mr Fell said: "Just as Barrow is leaning into the opportunities of delivering the SSN-AUKUS project, so is Devonport, so it was fascinating to learn about the challenges they have in maintaining this complex site while juggling the upkeep of so many different boats and ships, recruiting and training staff, and also planning for the future. AUKUS gives UK defence manufacturing a unique opportunity.

"It was poignant to see so many Barrow-built submarines in various stages of decommissioning, and to consider the role they’ve played in our nation’s story as we walked the site - and also to see Audacious and Victorious alongside for maintenance."

The MP will be discussing the findings with Defence Secretary Grant Shapps in the coming weeks.