Rolls-Royce Submarines has broken ground on a major expansion of its Raynesway facility in Derby, England, aimed at increasing nuclear reactor production capacity for British and Australian submarine programs.
The project marks the beginning of a long-term plan to double the size of the site by adding more than 100,000 square meters (over one million square feet) of new manufacturing facilities and office space.
According to the company, the expanded facility will support reactor production for the Royal Navy’s Astute- and Dreadnought-class submarines, as well as the future SSN-AUKUS fleet being developed for the Royal Australian Navy.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by UK Defence Minister Lord Vernon Coaker, Rolls-Royce Submarines President Abi Clayton, and Royal Navy Commodore Alistair Moody, Director for Nuclear Propulsion at the UK’s Submarine Delivery Group.
Originally announced in 2023, the expansion reflects Rolls-Royce’s commitment to meeting rising demand for nuclear propulsion systems under the AUKUS trilateral security partnership involving Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Employing more than 5,500 people, the company expects the project to create an additional 1,170 highly skilled jobs across engineering, manufacturing, and related disciplines. Rolls-Royce currently designs and assembles the nuclear reactors that power every Royal Navy submarine and has become a key supplier for Australia’s future SSN-AUKUS submarines.
