Babcock to create “super” ship repair facility for the Royal Navy in Devonport Dockyard
Babcock is to create a “super” refit and maintenance facility for the RN within HMNB Devonport (Source: Crown Copyright)
The UK’s defence contractor Babcock is currently in the process of creating a GBP 1 billion “super” ship repair and maintenance facility for the Royal Navy’s (RN) fleet of surface vessels and submarines within western Europe’s largest naval base, HMNB Devonport, in Plymouth.
The majority of the work is taking place at Babcock’s Royal Dockyard complex within the naval base. The ambitious project will “future-proof” the RN’s fleet sustainment needs and create a repair and maintenance base for the current and future vessels, both frigates and submarines.
By 2027 Babcock’s site in Devonport will be capable of running four separate submarine-related projects, through service life extensions to decommissioning.
Plans either underway or scheduled include the facilities upgrade to 1 Dock in order for it to accommodate the RN’s current Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines and the future Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarines, and similarly, and expanded body of work at 10 Dock in order to turn the graving dock into a multi vessel class drydock and refit centre.
Similar plans are also expected to be carried out at 11 and 12 Docks which would be developed into multi vessel class repair facilities. Meanwhile, 8 Dock will be able to accommodate the new Type 26-class frigates currently being built in Scotland.
In the wider site of Devonport Dockyard, 3 Basin is currently used to berth decommissioned nuclear submarines awaiting disposal, while 5 Basin is reserved for active nuclear submarines undergoing or awaiting maintenance. The site also houses Babcock’s frigate maintenance facility and its four covered drydocks, and is currently tasked with performing Lifex work on the RN’s ageing Type-23 Duke-class frigates. HMS Sutherland (F81) is currently being worked on.
Meanwhile, 5 Basin currently houses the Vanguard-class nuclear-powered attack submarine HMS Victorious (S29), which is undergoing a Lifex project, but not refuelling. This work is expected to take at least four years, after which sister vessel HMS Vigilant (S30) will arrive for her Lifex. This submarine was commissioned in November 1996.
Work being undertaken on HMS Victorious, which was commissioned in January 1995, will see upgrades to 90% of the boat’s systems, with the work being undertaken afloat in 5 Basin and in 9 Dock, including the fitting of a new combat management system.
