British Royal Navy Strategic Edge Hinges on Submarine Fleet Expansion.

The Royal Navy must expand and modernize its submarine fleet to maintain its strategic edge, according to a new report titled "A More Lethal Royal Navy: Sharpening Britain’s Naval Power" by William Freer and Dr. Emma Salisbury. Sponsored by Lockheed Martin and released by the Council on Geostrategy’s Strategic Advantage Cell, the report examines the current state of the Royal Navy’s submarine capabilities and proposes crucial recommendations for enhancement.
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Currently, the Royal Navy’s SSN fleet includes five Astute class submarines, with two more expected, and one Trafalgar class submarine upgraded to extend its service life through to 2025 (Picture source: Royal Navy)

Nuclear attack submarines (SSNs) play a pivotal role in anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare, and launching cruise missiles against land targets. Modern SSNs are valued for their stealth capabilities, operating quietly and remaining submerged for extended periods without surfacing.

The report highlights the strategic importance of regular submarine patrols, citing the Falklands War as an example where the presence of the HMS Conqueror, an SSN, forced the Argentine fleet to retreat following the sinking of the light cruiser General Belgrano.

Currently, the Royal Navy’s SSN fleet includes five Astute class submarines, with two more expected, and one Trafalgar class submarine upgraded to extend its service life through to 2025. The report emphasizes that to achieve strategic objectives, the Royal Navy needs to increase its lethality, which requires greater mass, survivability, and integration, alongside improving the proficiency and variety of available capabilities.

To address these needs, the report recommends significant investments to maximize the potential of Britain’s aircraft carriers, including procuring additional F35B Lightning II combat aircraft, integrating drones to augment the air wing, and enhancing the carriers’ defenses. It also calls for improvements in the armament of destroyers and frigates and the acceleration of the Type 45 destroyer replacement program.

Furthermore, it suggests de-risking the submarine service by accelerating the build time for the Dreadnought class and procuring an additional Dreadnought as a missile submarine (SSGN) to provide extra deep strike capability and mitigate potential delays in the SSN-AUKUS program.