ASTUTE BOATS 1-7
MOD · MOD_0076_1213-Q1
Department page: Ministry of Defence
| Data as at | Rating | End date | Whole-life cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2024 | Amber (NISTA's independent assessment) | Exempt under Section 24 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (National security) | £11,256m (price basis not stated) |
| March 2025 | Amber (the department's own assessment) | Section 24 - National security | £11,571.12m (price basis not stated) |
| March 2026 | Amber (the department's own assessment) | Exempt under Section 24 - National security | £14,428.06m (in 2024/25 prices) |
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 rating at 25/26-Q4 remained at Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. 1. The Astute build programme has achieved the majority of its build and commissioning milestones in this financial year. However, the Delivery Confidence Assessment remains Amber because of potential delays in the in-water phase for Boat 6, and the build of Boat 7 based on current productivity rates.
Schedule: Exempt under Section 26 - Defence
Cost: Compared to financial year 24/25-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 25/26-Q4 (measured in £m) increased from £11,570.00 to £11,590.00. This is primarily due to a revised cost estimate for completion of the programme and inflation.
March 2025
Rating: The Project's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 24/25-Q4 is AMBER, compared with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority's assessment last year of AMBER. This is due to the following factors. The Astute build programme has achieved the majority of its build and commissioning milestones in this financial year. However, the programme remains Amber because of potential delays based on current productivity rates, and the possibility of delay during the in-water phase for Boat 6.
Schedule: Section 24 - National security
Cost: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 24/25-Q4 (measured in £m) increased from 11256 to 11571. This is primarily due to the following factors. A revised cost estimate for completion of the programme, factoring in inflation and delivery cadence within the Shipyard.
Source: NISTA Annual Report 2024-25 (data)
March 2024
Rating: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 23/24-Q4 remained at Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. The Astute build programme has achieved the majority of its build and commissioning milestones in this financial year. However, the programme remains Amber because of potential delays based on current productivity rates, and the possibility of delay during the in-water phase for Boat 6.
Schedule: The programme remains committed to building seven Astute Class submarines. Boats one to five have been delivered to the Royal Navy while the remaining two vessels are at an advanced stage of build at the BAES Shipyard.
Cost: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the project's departmental-agree Whole Life Cost at 23/24-Q4 increased from 10827m. to 11256m. This is primarily due to the following factors. A revised cost estimate for completion of the programme, factoring in inflation and delivery cadence within the Shipyard.
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 →