The United Kingdom's Nuclear Submarine Industrial Base Sustaining Design and Production Resources

by Schank, John F.

• ISBN13: 9780833037978
• ISBN10: 0833037978
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-07-26
• Publisher: RAND Corporation

Summary

Recommends strategies to efficiently sustain and operate the United Kingdom's submarine industrial base.

Table of Contents

Preface	iii
Figures	ix
Tables	xiii
Summary	xv
Acknowledgements	xxvii
Abbreviations	xxix
Introduction	1	(6)
Study Objectives and Research Approach	3	(1)
The UK Submarine Industrial Base	4	(3)
Maintaining Nuclear Submarine Design Resources	7	(32)
Problems in Maintaining Resources	8	(3)
Resources Required for a New Design Effort	11	(7)
Timing the Design Resource Demands	18	(6)
Sustaining a Design Core Between New Programmes	24	(13)
Spiral Development of the Astute Class	25	(2)
Continuous Conceptual Designs	27	(1)
Design of Unmanned Undersea Vehicles	28	(1)
Design of Diesel Submarines for Export	29	(1)
Collaboration with the United States or Other Countries	30	(5)
Collaboration Within the United Kingdom	35	(2)
Summary	37	(2)
Maintaining Nuclear Submarine Production Resources	39	(34)
Importance of Continuous Production	40	(2)
A Look at Future Programmes	42	(3)
Timing of Production for the Next SSBN Class	45	(3)
Fleet Size and Production Timing for the Remaining Astute-Class Submarines	48	(12)
Workforce Demands at the Skill Level	56	(1)
Labour Costs of Various Options	57	(3)
Delaying the Start of Astute 4	60	(3)
Implications of No Follow-On to the Vanguard Class	63	(2)
Bridging the Gap in Submarine Production at Barrow	65	(1)
Vitality of the Vendor Base	66	(4)
Identification of Departed or Potentially Problematic Suppliers	67	(1)
Discussion	68	(2)
Summary	70	(3)
Summary Findings and Recommendations	73	(22)
Key Decisions to Sustain Nuclear Submarine Design Capability	73	(5)
Decide If There Will Be a Next-Generation SSBN Class	73	(1)
Decide on the Operational Life of the Vanguard Class	74	(1)
Plan on Annual Investments to Sustain a Core of Design Resources	75	(1)
Begin Talks with the United States on Collaborative Design Programmes	76	(1)
Encourage Collaboration Between the Various Design Organisations	77	(1)
Key Decisions to Sustain Nuclear Submarine Production Capability	78	(3)
Decide on the Operational Life of the Vanguard Class	78	(1)
Decide on Follow-On Astute-Class Production	79	(1)
Take Actions to Support Nonnuclear Vendors	80	(1)
APPENDIX
A Brief History of UK Submarine Production	81	(10)
The Nuclear Submarine Design Process	91	(4)
Bibliography	95