Babcock and the UK's Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) have agreed acontract worth an estimated £560 million to undertake the planned deep maintenance and life extension programme for HMS Victorious, one of the UK's Vanguard Class nuclear submarines.

The multi-year life extension programme will deliver HMS Victorious back to the Royal Navy modernised and improved, enabling it to continue operational patrols well into the 2030s. Work on the submarine is already underway, following a commitment by the Department to authorise early-works from July 2023.

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Through the HMS Victorious programme, more than 1,000 jobs will be sustained in the south west. Alongside this, Babcock is continuing to build its workforce through its Plymouth-based Babcock Skills Academy, which includes a focus on submarine support and the critical nuclear skills required to perform deep submarine maintenance.

HMS Victorious is the second Vanguard Class submarine to undergo a life extension package at Babcock’s Devonport facility. It performs a vital role as part of the UK's critical continuous at sea deterrent and represents one of the most complex pieces of engineering there is.

Babcock CEO David Lockwood said: "Delivering the programme for this vital and complex defence asset is our top priority. We are proud to have been awarded this complex defence programme which will use our deep engineering expertise to help keep the UK safe.”

"Babcock supports all of the UK's submarine fleet. The capability and experience gained through delivery of similar complex projects, combined with new ways of working, is being applied to deliver this important overhaul programme at pace."