If darker forces come to our doorstep, the progressive response is not to leave the burden to someone else.

The UK waters will soon be patrolled by 12 new ‘apex predator’ attack submarines.

The military’s weapon arsenal includes the secretive nuclear-powered and armed submarines, which only a select few will ever set foot in due to high-level security.

The submarine arm of the Royal Navy, known as the Silent Service, operates a fleet of Trafalgar, Astute and Vanguard class vessels.

Now, an upgrade is on the horizon after the government said that 12 new SSN-AUKUS submarines will be built as part of a £15 billion programme ‘in response to the rapidly increasing threats’ – namely, Russia – and to ‘make Britain and Nato safe for decades to come.’

Here is a recap of what the fuss around the SSN-AUKUS submarines is all about.

The Ministry of Defence has been tight-lipped about the submarines’ exact specs, but they will replace the seven-strong Astute class from the late 2030s onwards.

Their deadly design allows them to patrol domestic and international waters without detection, and if needed, destroy other ships and submarines and even enforce a blockade for a long period.

The name – SSN-AUKUS – comes from the security pact between Australia, the UK and the US formed in 2021, which led to the creation of the next-generation submarines.

The new fleet will carry conventional weapons, but they will be nuclear-powered. In comparison, the Vanguard-class submarines are equipped with the controversial Trident missile system with nuclear warheads.

One of the new submarines’ task will be to protect the Trident nuclear missiles, which are already undergoing a warhead modernisation programme.

The SSN system will remain the ‘apex predator’ for years to come, Navy Lookout said.

The new UK submarines will be built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness, while the nuclear propulsion units are manufactured at Rolls Royce in Derby, which the government said will support 30,000 jobs.

Defence Secretary John Healey said: ‘Our outstanding submariners patrol 24/7 to keep us and our allies safe, but we know that threats are increasing and we must act decisively to face down Russian aggression. 

‘With new state-of-the-art submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead programme on British shores, we are making Britain secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering on our Plan for Change with 30,000 highly-skilled jobs across the country.’

The submarine plan comes after the government pledged to up the UK’s defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 as the Prime Minister announced the strategic defence review.

However, he refused to confirm whether the defence spending will reach 3% by the next parliament.

The PM also announced at least six new munitions factories along with the £15 billion investment in nuclear warheads.

He said: ‘First, we are moving to war-fighting readiness as the central purpose of our armed forces.

‘When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready, and frankly, to show them that we’re ready to deliver peace through strength.’

The second aim is to adopt a ‘Nato-first’ defence approach so that all actions strengthen the alliance.

Innovation will also be accelerated at a ‘wartime pace’ to mee the ‘threat of today and tomorrow, as the fastest innovator in Nato,’ Sir Keir said.

The UK defence announcement comes as the Russia-Ukraine war has intensified.

Ukraine said it had blasted dozens of Russian nuclear bombers in a mass drone attack over the weekend.

Meanwhile, peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegates concluded in Turkiye without a major breakthrough, although prisoner swaps were agreed on.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

The Prime Minister said he doesn’t need a ‘lecture’ from Farage on the working class.

Farage accused the government of being ‘very low-grade.’

The Lady T is being held at Boulogne after being seized by the French authorities.

The government has announced a U-turn after the unpopular change.

We need action. 

The fictionalised department of Social Affairs and Citizenship actually sounds like a very legitimate department in 2025.

The final details of the landmark deal are being ironed out.

The 26-year-old was detained at Luton Airport.

The contentious bill will be debated in parliament for the first time in nearly 10 years.

Roman Lavrynovych, 21, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

This is a mock-up and not an actual line-up, believe it or not (Picture: Getty/Metro)

When Prime Minister Keir Starmer met his long-serving Albanian counterpart Edi Rama today, there was plenty of substance to discuss.

Tackling illegal mi…

On Monday, the PM said the UK risks becoming an ‘island of strangers’.

The Prime Minister said the incident was an ‘attack on democracy’.

The supermarket’s CEO explained the reasoning.

Seven Labour MPs have had the whip removed.

A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of a number of arson attacks.

Keir Starmer introduced a raft of new measures to bring down immigration.

No one was injured.

‘Disinformation goes so far as to make a simply tissue look like drugs’.

‘Disinformation goes so far as to make a simply tissue look like drugs’.

(From L) Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain’s prime minister Keir Starmer, France’s president Emmanuel Macron, Olena Zelenska and Germany’s chancellor Friedrich M…

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Donald Trump lauded a first-of-its-kind trade deal between the UK and US.

President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met in the White House in February. A trade deal is rumoured to be unveiled later on today (Picture: Andrew Leyden/ZUMA Press Wire)

Donald Trump and the UK will announce a trade de…