SUBMERSIBLE SHIP NUCLEAR AUKUS
MOD · MOD_0007_2122-Q2
Department page: Ministry of Defence
| Data as at | Rating | End date | Whole-life cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2024 | Amber (the department's own assessment) | Exempt under Section 24 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (National security) | Exempt under Section 27 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (International Relations) |
| March 2025 | Amber (NISTA's independent assessment) | Section 24 - National security, Section 26 - Defence | Section 35 - Formulation of government policy |
| March 2026 | Amber (NISTA's independent assessment) | 30 April 2043 | Exempt under Section 35 - Formulation of government policy |
Each year’s cost is shown with its price basis. Costs are not compared between years: the March 2024 and March 2025 reports state no price basis, and from March 2026 costs are in 2024/25 prices.
The department’s commentary
This is the department’s own commentary. It may use different prices from the table above, so its figures may not match.
March 2026
Rating: Compared to financial year 24/25 Q4, the NISTA/SRO Delivery Confidence Assessment (DCA) rating at 25/26 Q4 remained at Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. 1. Rreflects the ongoing focus on enhancing supplier infrastructure to strengthen capability and capacity within the tier 1 and subordinate supply chain for SSN AUKUS. 2. Additionally, efforts continue to address the current shortfall in engineering resource to support the effective management and assurance of the submarine’s design.
Schedule: Exempt under Section 24 - National security
Cost: Exempt under Section 35 - Formulation of government policy
March 2025
Rating: The Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 24/25-Q4 is AMBER, compared with the project's assessment last year of AMBER. This is due to the following factors. SSN AUKUS has a critical dependency on supplier infrastructure, which needs to be enhanced, to deliver capability and capacity within the tier 1 and subordinate supply chain. In addition, there continues to be a shortfall of engineering resource to progress the overall management and assurance of the submarine’s design.
Schedule: Section 24 - National security, Section 26 - Defence
Cost: Section 35 - Formulation of government policy
Source: NISTA Annual Report 2024-25 (data)
March 2024
Rating: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the Senior Responsible Owner's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 23/24-Q4 remained at Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. A degree of risk relating to the ability of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise and the wider UK supply chain to resource the programme with the necessary skills, experience and infrastructure to deliver against a demanding schedule, without adversely impacting the delivery of the Dreadnought (SSBN) programme.
Schedule: The SSN-AUKUS programme is in its early stages and is working to a schedule developed in conjunction with Industrial Partners.
Cost: Exempt under Section 27 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (International Relations)
Source: IPA Annual Report 2023-24 (data)
Names, figures, dates, ratings and commentary are as the department reported them. Where a rating, cost or date is withheld, the file’s wording is shown. Every major project →