AtkinsRéalis secures partnership with Rolls-Royce Submarines

Image courtesy AtkinsRéalis

Under this framework agreement, AtkinsRéalis will work alongside Frazer-Nash and Assystem to provide Rolls-Royce Submarines with the collective engineering expertise, nuclear capabilities and other professional services required to meet growing demand from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and allied nations. The framework has a total value of up to £400 million over five years, with the option to extend for a further two years.

The Capability Assured Strategic Partnership (CASP) brings together nuclear capability to support the Royal Navy’s submarines programme and the UK’s wider Defence Nuclear Enterprise. The UK Government has reaffirmed its commitment to nuclear as a cornerstone of its national security strategy, investing significantly to maintain and expand its submarine programme and enable the trilateral AUKUS security agreement, which will support Australia in acquiring its first conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

“Global defence investment is accelerating as nations seek to reinforce security and resilience,” said Ian L. Edwards , President and CEO of AtkinsRéalis. “AtkinsRéalis is uniquely positioned to support this growth through our multidisciplinary expertise in nuclear programmes and complex infrastructure. This partnership with Rolls-Royce Submarines reflects our ability to deliver highly specialised capabilities that are critical to the safe and effective operation of future submarine fleets and wider defence programmes.”

“Nuclear propulsion systems for submarines require exceptional precision, safety and technical depth,” said Joe St. Julian, President, Nuclear, AtkinsRéalis. “Our position in this new strategic partnership builds on 27 years working with Rolls-Royce Submarines on their defence programmes and our end-to-end experience in nuclear lifecycle management. Together with our industry partners, we will help ensure the UK’s submarine enterprise remains robust, agile and ready to meet evolving defence needs.”

Under the new partnership, AtkinsRéalis will provide specialist support in nuclear propulsion systems, safety assurance, systems engineering and programme delivery (critical for the design, integration and lifecycle management of submarine reactor plants) alongside consulting, environmental services, asset management, cyber resilience, digital solutions and reactor design and substantiation.

The appointment follows AtkinsRéalis and Mott MacDonald being announced as Rolls-Royce Submarines’ joint fissile design partner in January 2025, as part of plans to double the size of its submarines site in Derby, England. These appointments show AtkinsRéalis’ ongoing and growing role in supporting the UK’s Defence Nuclear Enterprise, delivering safe, reliable propulsion capability for future submarine fleets.

Rolls-Royce Submarines is currently supporting the existing Astute and Dreadnought boat build programmes through the delivery of reactor plant and associated components. In March 2023, it was confirmed that Rolls-Royce Submarines would provide all the nuclear reactor plants that will support the next generation of nuclear-powered submarines as part of the trilateral AUKUS agreement between Australia, the UK and US.