While hardly an auspicious start, a couple of months delay in concluding the concept phase for the UK’s future deterrent program is - in the UK Defense Ministry scheme of things - almost on time.
The work should have been finished in September, but is now expected to be completed “relatively soon,” according to Bill Jeffrey, the permanent under-secretary of state for defense.
Jeffrey suggests the work will likely be presented to the Defense Board and ministers “later this year”, adding that he expects this will be before Parliament recesses on December 16.
Completing the concept work clears the way for the initial gate approval stage of the program.
The problem for the ministry is that the 2024 in-service date for the successor to the Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarine is already racy. Any delays are therefore an issue.
British government finance watchdog the National Audit Office has previously cautioned that the initial gate decision point of the procurement process, and placing a design contract for the submarine, needed to hit the September target were the in-service date not to be put at risk, even at this early stage of the project.
