HMNB Clyde in Helensburgh is to undergo a £15.1 billion upgrade as part of a major Ministry of Defence (MOD) naval infrastructure programme.
The UK Government has confirmed £26 billion will be invested over ten years to modernise the Royal Navy’s three main naval bases – HMNB Clyde, HMNB Devonport, and HMNB Portsmouth.
HMNB Clyde will receive the biggest investment of £15.1 billion, which will see the creation of three new floating docks and infrastructure for submarine maintenance. There will also be a separate, offsite engineering facility established to boost maintenance capacity, as well as accommodation and training facilities upgrades.
An additional £240 million in funding will be provided for RAF support and logistics contracts benefiting Scotland, which the Ministry of Defence (MOD) said will support more than 380 jobs.
Boeing Defence UK has been awarded a £115.2 million, two-year contract extension to sustain the RAF’s fleet of nine P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft operated from RAF Lossiemouth, which will safeguard 200 skilled jobs and more than 20 apprenticeships.
A separate E-7 Wedgetail sustainment contract worth £127.5 million will sustain approximately 180 jobs, with 60–80 new roles projected and four further apprenticeships created.
The MOD has also completed the purchase of Finnart Oil Terminal on the shore of Loch Long. The acquisition expands the Royal Navy’s sovereign fuel-holding capacity and strengthens operational resilience.
The UK Government said that, by making use of existing infrastructure, the investment delivers value for taxpayers while creating skilled local jobs and supporting the wider supply chain – and provides the additional space needed to progress the Clyde Transformation Programme.
As part of the government’s commitment to backing key maritime industries on the River Clyde, £20 million is being invested in Inchgreen Marine Park to revitalise one of the largest operational dry docks in the UK. The investment is supporting creation of 350 direct jobs and will provide a new skills centre, it said
UK Government minister for defence readiness and industry, Luke Pollard MP, said, “The threats facing the United Kingdom are real and they are growing. This Government is not waiting — we are acting now to ensure our Royal Navy has the bases and infrastructure it needs to be ready to fight. This £26 billion investment is the largest in our naval bases since the Cold War, and Scotland is central to it.
“Clyde is critical to our nation’s defence. This investment is securing thousands of jobs up and down the country and strengthening our armed forces for the challenges of today and the future.”
