UK to build 12 new attack submarines in major defence overhaul

The United Kingdom has announced ambitious plans to construct up to 12 new attack submarines as part of a sweeping overhaul of its Defence strategy, in direct response to increasing global threats, particularly from Russia. The announcement precedes the official release of a major Strategic Defence Review by the Labour government on Monday, June 2, 2025.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking to BBC Radio, stated that the UK faces “greater instability on Defence and security than there has been for many, many years,” citing the growing impact of drone warfare, artificial intelligence, and hostile state actors.

The forthcoming Strategic Defence Review, led by former NATO Secretary General George Robertson, is expected to lay out a comprehensive roadmap for adapting UK Defence policy to what officials describe as a “new era of threat.”

The review highlights the critical need for improved warfighting readiness, deeper integration across military branches, and a firm, unwavering commitment to NATO.

As part of its robust response, the UK government has pledged substantial new Defence investments:

• Up to 12 SSN-AUKUS attack submarines will be built under the AUKUS alliance with the United States and Australia, replacing the current seven Astute-class submarines from the late 2030s, with a new submarine expected to be built every 18 months.
• £15 billion will be invested in the UK’s sovereign nuclear warhead programme, supporting 30,000 highly skilled jobs.
• £6 billion will be allocated to boost munitions over the current parliamentary term.
• £1.5 billion will fund the construction of at least six new munitions and energetics factories, creating over 1,000 jobs.
• The UK will also procure up to 7,000 domestically produced long-range weapons.

In addition, the Ministry of Defence has committed £1 billion to establishing a new Cyber and Electromagnetic Command, designed to bolster the UK’s digital and electronic warfare capabilities on the battlefield, integrating existing structures to improve coordination and operational effectiveness.

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Despite ongoing fiscal pressures, the Labour government has reaffirmed plans to raise Defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027—the largest sustained increase since the Cold War—with an ambition to reach 3% in the next parliamentary term. Part of this funding will be sourced by redirecting money from the UK’s overseas aid budget.

Defence Secretary John Healey underscored the urgency of the review, citing “growing Russian aggression, daily cyberattacks, new nuclear threats, and rising tensions around the globe.”

While Russia is identified as the UK’s most “immediate and pressing” threat, the review refers to China as a “sophisticated and persistent challenge.”

Notably, Starmer omitted China from a list of key threats in an op-ed for The Sun, instead highlighting coordinated threats from Russia, Iran, and North Korea—a group Robertson famously called a “deadly quartet.”

This measured rhetoric on China contrasts with the confrontational stance taken by the previous Conservative government and reflects the Labour administration’s effort to ease strained relations with Beijing.

Amid rising pressure from Washington for NATO members to take greater responsibility for European Defence, reports also suggest the UK is considering purchasing nuclear-capable aircraft from the United States—though Defence Secretary Healey declined to confirm specifics, emphasizing only the importance of a “strong deterrent” to national security.