Babcock Secures Contract to Support Nuclear Submarine Defueling

Babcock International Group has been awarded a three-year contract to prepare for the first nuclear defueling of a decommissioned Trafalgar Class submarine in over 20 years. The operations will take place at Babcock’s Devonport facility in Plymouth, marking a significant milestone in the UK’s Submarine Dismantling Project.

The £114 million ($155 million) contract from the Ministry of Defence will see Babcock working collaboratively with the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) and leading industry partners to prepare for the defuel of four decommissioned submarines, with defuel activities recommencing from 2026.

Defueling is a key enabler to submarine dismantling and must be undertaken before the full dismantling process commences.

The work will take place in parallel with Babcock’s large-scale infrastructure development program in Devonport, which will provide highly capable facilities in support of the operational submarine program.

Babcock is currently undertaking a demonstrator project at its Rosyth facility in collaboration with the DNE’s Submarine Dismantling Project, which will see the former HMS Swiftsure be the first UK nuclear-powered submarine to be fully dismantled. The program will enable around 90% of the submarine’s structure and components to be reused or recycled, providing a safe, environmentally responsible and cost-effective solution for the dismantling and disposal of the UK’s decommissioned nuclear fleet.