Written statement on Astute Boat 7

Gavin Williamson (Secretary of State for Defence): I am pleased to announce today that we have reached a major milestone with the investment of £1.5 billion for the whole boat contract with BAE Systems to build the seventh boat in our Astute Class submarine fleet. I also have the privilege to announce that this submarine will be named AGINCOURT.

AGINCOURT is the final boat of the Astute Class, underpinning the commitment made by this Government in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review. AGINCOURT is expected to come into service with the Royal Navy in the mid-2020s to undertake a wide range of tasks in support of military operations worldwide.