Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2025 to Question 62858 on HMS Protector: Atlantic Ocean, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the modernisation of the Russian submarine fleet on national security.

As stated in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), there is a persistent and growing underwater threat to the UK and NATO from a modernising Russian submarine force. We cannot disclose further details for operational security reasons.

The SDR endorsed Atlantic Bastion, which is the Royal Navy's plan to secure the North Atlantic for the UK and NATO against this threat. All capability requirements to deliver the SDR vision are being considered as part of the Defence Investment Plan, to be published in autumn 2025.