Commenting on the National Shipbuilding Strategy, Oliver Welch, Head of Defence, Aerospace & Security Policy at EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, said:
"The principle of a National Shipbuilding Strategy is a welcome one as this is a vital sector for the UK's national security and an important employer in regional economies across the country. Our shipbuilders will appreciate the MOD’s acknowledgment of the significance of long-term industrial sustainability and skills retention in ensuring that the Royal Navy remains at the vanguard of military capability.”
“In the application of the strategy, initially through the Type 31e programme, it will be imperative that MOD demonstrates that it has commitment to deliver on its intentions, and sufficient volumes of work, and the budget to match, to drive real opportunity across the sector. Only then will industry be confident to invest in the skills and infrastructure necessary to achieve the economies of scale that the strategy is aiming for. With the emphasis put on foreign sales of Type 31e to achieve this, Government must ensure from the outset that the capability meets both Royal Navy and export-market expectations”