A series of very long patrols since 2020 suggest ongoing reliability problems within the fleet.
Dreadnought latest news
The Dreadnought submarines are planned to replace the current fleet of Vanguard submarines in the early 2030s. They will carry nuclear-armed Trident missiles and be powered by a PWR3 nuclear reactor.
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HMS Vanguard leaves Devonport after 7 years of maintenance
The cost of the work has been estimated at over £500m
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Increasing risk of problems in Derby delaying Dreadnought schedule
The Core Production Capability project may miss delivery dates for reactor cores.
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‘Trouble Ahead’ – A video update
This video updates on our 2019 report which highlighted rising costs and programmatic risks in the UK nuclear weapons programme.
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Webinar: The Life and Work of John Ainslie
9th November 14:00 GMT, reflections on John Ainslie’s contributions to the nuclear disarmament movement and its continued relevance….Watch here
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An update on UK nuclear weapons modernisation
An overview of the latest developments.
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MOD equipment affordability risks remain despite £48bn extra funding
An internal assessment found that nuclear programmes were particularly vulnerable to cost rises.
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Coronavirus delays Dreadnought for one year
The government denies the delay will affect submarine in-service dates
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MoD admits problems at Rolls-Royce could delay Dreadnought
This is the first official acknowledgement of the risk
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Rolls-Royce breached nuclear safety limits
The quantity of fissile material in a facility was more than 25% over the criticality limit.
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Reports highlight repeated failures by MOD over four decades
Case studies from the recent NAO and PAC reports
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Astute: seventeen month delay may impede Dreadnought programme
Handover of HMS Audacious was due in August 2019, but is now expected to be January 2021.