The US Ministry of Defence signed a contract with General Dynamics Mission Systems for $10 million for maintenance and modernization of the combat control system of ballistic missiles "Trident II" on strategic nuclear submarines of the SSBN type. These boats are on combat duty in the US Navy and the UK.
Work under the contract will last until the end of September 2025 and will be conducted in Massachusetts. This will directly affect the schedule of operation and combat duty of British submarines.
One of the British SSBNs will be forced to undergo maintenance in the United States, which will temporarily reduce the number of submarines available for crew training. Most likely, the combat duty of British submarines will be organized according to the scheme: one on patrol, the second on repairs in the States, and the third on exercises at the home base.
This approach has a downside: such a load could seriously reduce the operational readiness of the British submarine fleet and weaken NATO's nuclear deterrence. This could pose a significant challenge to the defense of the North Atlantic Alliance.