Systems update

The government has awarded a £300m contract to

 for the refit of its strategic missile submarine, HMS Vigilant.

The 16,000-tonne submarine will be kitted with an updated weapons system and a new nuclear reactor core over a period of three and a half years at Devonport Royal Dockyard in Plymouth. At peak construction, the work is expected to secure 1,000 jobs in the dockyard and a further 1,000 across the industry.

Defence secretary, John Hutton, said: ‘The highly sophisticated nature of the work involved is testament to the experience and skills of the workforce here in Devonport and is the latest in a steady stream of packages to be carried out in the dedicated submarine refit facilities here.

‘Both HMS Victorious and HMS Turbulent have recently left Devonport following successful overhauls, with HMS Triumph making progress in her maintenance period as we speak.’

Babcock will provide the Long Overhaul Period and Refuel (LOP[R]) work, which will include the refuel and reactor commissioning, a major revalidation of all reactor systems, replacement of major equipment and tactical and strategic weapons updates. Rolls-Royce will supply the submarine’s new reactor core.