230 Jobs cut at submarine site

BAE attempts “skills balancing” act at Barrow yard

BAE Systems is to cut 230 jobs at its Barrow-in-Furness site submarine yard. 

The move follows a cost cutting review by the defence company. Its recruitment drive for “highly-skilled engineers” is unaffected. 

The Barrow-in-Furness yard is building the Royal Navy’s latest Astute class of nuclear powered attack submarines, the first of which began sea trials last November. HMS Astute was originally scheduled to enter service at the end of last year, but the build programme is running approximately 18 months late.

BAE said: “This is a skills mix issue, we needed to balance between those capabilities we have too much of and those that we do not have enough off. Astute is very much going ahead: there are three boats in the dock and one on sea trials, we’re ordering long lead items for boat five. We’re even working on the design for Astute’s successor. In engineering terms there is a lot still going on.”

Hugh Scullion, General Secretary of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU) said: “This is not the time to rid the shipbuilding industry of its skills base. There is an ongoing build up of work on the carrier project and more work to continue with the Astute Project. These skills are required now and will be into the future. 

BAE said it was designing block 3 of the future aircraft carrier at Barrow, but would not be fabricating it there. 

The Astute programme has been plagued by engineering delays and overruns, which BAE has attempted to surmount with new manufacturing techniques such as modular construction. Last year the conning tower of the submarine, which is powered by a nuclear reactor, caught fire while being prepared for its sea trials. 

The submarines division of BAE Systems employs approximately 5,000 people at nine UK sites. A 90 day period of consultation with trade unions will now take place.