Defence Secretary champions innovation on visit to largest Navy base in Western Europe
Defence Secretary visits Devonport Naval Base to see some of the latest equipment used by the Royal Marines and UK Commando Force.
- Defence Secretary Wes Streeting’s visits HMNB Devonport to see Navy innovation in action.
- Devonport is the largest naval base in Western Europe and pivotal to UK and NATO security.
- £7 billion investment in HMNB Devonport part of the largest naval infrastructure programme since the end of the Cold War.
Billions of pounds of investment is supporting skilled jobs and driving modernisation of the UK’s maritime forces, as the Defence Secretary saw firsthand during his visit to HMNB Devonport.
Accompanied by Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport and Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, the visit highlighted the unique and vital capabilities based at Western Europe’s largest naval base.
Plymouth is home to Royal Marines and UK Commando Forces and will become home to the Royal Navy’s new Type 26 frigates, cementing its position at the centre of the UK’s naval power for decades to come.
Devonport is the only facility in the UK responsible for the deep maintenance and defueling of the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine fleet. Its maintenance work underpins the UK’s continuous at-sea deterrent by keeping the submarine fleet available and operational, while its defueling capability supports the decommissioning of older submarines at the end of their service life.
During the visit, the Defence Secretary met Royal Navy personnel and industry partners who deliver the engineering, maintenance and support that keeps the Royal Navy’s fleet operational and saw the facilities under construction that will support submarines in the years ahead.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting MP, said:
The work done here at Devonport is critical to keeping our country safe. From our Commando Forces ready to deploy at a moment’s notice, to our Navy personnel and industry who maintain our submarines – Plymouth is a city where defence runs in the blood.
As we bring the Type 26 fleet to Devonport in the coming years, we’re investing in this base and our forces, ensuring it will remain at the heart of our naval power for generations to come, and continuing to push the frontier of defence innovation.
Around £500 million was committed as part of the Defence Investment Plan to continue the transformation of the UK Commando Forces, including equipping personnel with new high-speed boats and the latest drone and autonomous technology.
Plymouth Sutton and Devonport MP, and Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard said:
Devonport is the beating heart of Plymouth, and it was fantastic to welcome the Secretary of State here today to see for himself what our Commando Forces, submariners, and dockyard workers do for our national security.
This is a base with a proud history and an even brighter future. The Type 26 fleet and the continued investment in our submarine capability means Devonport will remain vital to the defence of this country, and vital to jobs and skills here in Plymouth.
As one of the Royal Navy’s three main naval bases, Devonport is set to be a major beneficiary of Royal Oak, a £26 billion ten-year programme to modernise UK naval infrastructure, confirmed as part of the Government’s Defence Investment Plan and the largest such programme since the end of the Cold War.
Royal Oak includes £7.1 billion to deliver major upgrades and new infrastructure across the Naval Base and Dockyard. The investment will bolster Devonport as a warfighting-ready facility, directly improving Royal Navy readiness, availability and lethality, while supporting thousands of skilled jobs in the Southwest of England.
£50 million defence investment is being put into Plymouth and the South West, making it easier for defence businesses to innovate, creating skilled jobs in the region and boosting UK national security through the Plymouth Growth Deal.
It will help create hundreds of new jobs and increase investment in the region. The investment reinforces Plymouth as a leader in maritime autonomy, developing the technology that helps keep the UK safe at sea. Plymouth was named the UK’s National Centre for Marine Autonomy, recognising the city’s growing role in developing autonomous maritime technology alongside the Royal Navy and industry partners, including work supporting the Navy’s Hybrid Navy programme.