Britain\u2019s future fleet of nuclear-powered attack submarines will prioritise operations in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, a senior defence official has confirmed, as the UK strengthens its undersea capabilities amid rising tensions with Russia.<\/p>\n
Sir Stephen Lovegrove, the Prime Minister\u2019s special representative for the AUKUS programme, said these regions would remain the \u201cprimary theatres\u201d for Royal Navy submarine operations.<\/p>\n
His remarks follow reports that a suspected Russian mission to map critical undersea infrastructure north of the UK was recently disrupted, underscoring growing concern about the vulnerability of subsea cables and energy networks.<\/p>\n
Under the AUKUS pact\u2014agreed between the UK, US and Australia in 2021\u2014Britain plans to build up to 12 next-generation<\/a> SSN-AUKUS attack submarines, while Australia is set to acquire three as part of a broader effort to expand allied naval power.<\/p>\n Speaking at the Undersea Defence Technology conference in London<\/a>, Lovegrove said the partnership would deliver a \u201cstronger, larger and more integrated\u201d submarine force capable of operating across multiple regions within a coordinated allied network.<\/p>\n The submarines, to be built in the UK and Australia using shared technology from all three partners, are expected to replace the Royal Navy\u2019s<\/a> current Astute-class fleet from the late 2030s.<\/p>\n Although not explicitly framed as a response to Beijing, AUKUS has been widely seen as part of a broader Western effort to counter China\u2019s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.<\/p>\n The programme has also faced scrutiny, including a review under President Donald Trump<\/a>, though officials indicate the agreement is largely unchanged.<\/p>\n Lovegrove said that increasing the number of fast, stealthy nuclear-powered submarines would significantly enhance deterrence, adding that AUKUS offers \u201cunparalleled strategic reach<\/a> and power projection capabilities\u201d for the UK and its allies.<\/p>\n