The Government has delayed ordering new attack submarines despite repeated availability issues. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the amount of new nuclear-powered boats for the Royal Navy won't be decided until as late as 2028.
Can-kicking accusation
One former senior officer accused Labour of "can-kicking" by putting off the decision on how many SSN-Aukus submarines will be built. It comes after Sir Keir Starmer last year announced plans to build "up to 12" of the vessels. The then-PM said the number chosen would be decided by the time the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) was published.
The DIP, detailing spending plans for the next decade, was finally released in June after months of delay. The Telegraph reports Labour has deferred its deadline for committing to the purchase of the new subs until 2028.
Streeting's letter
In a letter to Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge, Mr Streeting said: "The DIP clearly sets out our intention to buy up to 12 SSN-A submarines, but a decision on exact hull numbers does not need to be taken at this stage.
"The programme is currently midway through its design phase and we anticipate that the number of submarines will be confirmed before the end of this phase in 2028."
He added any delay over submarine orders will not impact when they enter service.
Conservative criticism
Mr Cartlidge told The Telegraph the hold up is a "shambles" amid rising threats. He said Labour needing three years to decide how many submarines it plans to buy is "not serious".
The SSN-Aukus boats are set to replace the Navy's fleet of seven Astute-Class submarines from the late 2030s onwards. Challenges regarding maintenance have seen the Astute-class suffer from availability issues. There have been periods when none of the five in-service Astute boats have been at sea.
Former Navy commander Tom Sharpe warned against delaying the SSN-Aukus order. "This is the sort of can-kicking exercise that is the reason we are currently so short on submarines, frigates and destroyers," he told The Telegraph.
An MoD spokesman said: "Our commitment to building up to 12 next-generation attack submarines, as set out in the DIP, is unchanged. A decision on exact numbers does not need to be taken at this stage, with no impact on the delivery schedule."
