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Britain's three main Royal Navy bases are set for their most substantial overhaul in decades. Defence Minister Luke Pollard confirmed on 14 July 2026 that £26 billion will be spent over ten years modernising HMNB Clyde in Scotland, HMNB Devonport in Plymouth and HMNB Portsmouth on the Solent. The government describes it as the largest programme of naval infrastructure investment since the end of the Cold War.
The funding was confirmed in the Defence Investment Plan, part of a wider £298 billion package to transform the UK's Armed Forces. Pollard made the announcement during a visit to HMNB Clyde, where the Royal Navy's submarine service and the UK's nuclear deterrent are based.
At a glance
- Total investment: £26 billion over ten years across HMNB Clyde, HMNB Devonport and HMNB Portsmouth
- Scotland's share: Over £15.3 billion, including £15.1 billion for HMNB Clyde alone
- RAF contracts: £240 million plus in sustainment contracts for RAF Lossiemouth based aircraft
- New acquisitions: MOD has completed the purchase of Finnart Oil Terminal to expand sovereign fuel capacity
- Linked programme: Part of the Strategic Defence Review's warfighting readiness commitments and the £298 billion Defence Investment Plan
The ten year programme will fund new docking ports, refitted buildings, Single Living Accommodation for service personnel, new training facilities, out of water engineering infrastructure, and research and development capabilities. The government says the upgrades are intended to directly improve Royal Navy readiness, availability and lethality.
Scotland and HMNB Clyde
HMNB Clyde receives the largest share of the funding £15.1 billion making it one of the most significant UK Government investment programmes in Scotland for decades. The base, known as Faslane, is home to more than 6,500 military and civilian personnel and serves as the Royal Navy's submarine centre of specialisation. Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander described the base as Scotland's largest military establishment and its second biggest employment site.
Alongside the Clyde investment, the MOD has completed the purchase of Finnart Oil Terminal on the West of Scotland. The acquisition expands the Royal Navy's sovereign fuel holding capacity and is intended to support the Clyde Transformation Programme by providing additional operational space. A separate £20 million investment in Inchgreen Marine Park one of the largest operational dry docks in the UK is expected to create 350 direct jobs and will include a new skills centre.
RAF Lossiemouth Contracts
Alongside the naval investment, Pollard confirmed over £240 million in RAF sustainment contracts benefiting Scotland:
- P-8 Poseidon: Boeing Defence UK has been awarded a £115.2 million, two year contract extension to sustain the RAF's fleet of nine P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft at RAF Lossiemouth, safeguarding over 200 highly skilled jobs and more than 20 apprenticeships
- E-7 Wedgetail: A separate £127.5 million sustainment contract supports approximately 180 jobs, with 60 to 80 new roles projected and four further apprenticeships expected to be created
HMNB Devonport in Plymouth and HMNB Portsmouth are also included in the programme, though the government has not yet published a detailed breakdown of how the remaining funding is split between those two sites. Both bases will receive modernised waterfront infrastructure and upgraded docking facilities as part of the same ten year programme.
The investment is presented as a direct response to what the government describes as a deteriorating security environment. The programme delivers on commitments made in the Strategic Defence Review, which identified naval infrastructure as a key gap in the UK's warfighting readiness. It sits within the broader Defence Investment Plan, which allocated £298 billion to transform the Armed Forces over the coming years.
The scale of the commitment £26 billion for infrastructure alone reflects the extent to which the existing bases have been allowed to age. Pollard said the UK was "not waiting" on defence investment and that the programme was intended to ensure the Royal Navy has "the bases and infrastructure it needs to be ready to fight."
Key Takeaways
- £26 billion will be spent over ten years upgrading HMNB Clyde, HMNB Devonport and HMNB Portsmouth, the largest naval infrastructure programme since the Cold War
- Scotland receives over £15.3 billion of the total, with HMNB Clyde getting £15.1 billion as the home of the nuclear deterrent and submarine service
- The MOD has purchased the Finnart Oil Terminal to expand sovereign fuel holding capacity and support the Clyde Transformation Programme
- £240 million in RAF sustainment contracts at Lossiemouth were also confirmed, covering the P-8 Poseidon and E-7 Wedgetail fleets
- The programme forms part of the Defence Investment Plan's wider £298 billion package and delivers directly on Strategic Defence Review commitments
Sources & Further Reading
- GOV.UK - Record £26 billion investment to transform UK naval bases' docking facilities and waterfront infrastructure (MOD, 14 July 2026) Archived copy (OGL): archived page
- GOV.UK - Defence Investment Plan (MOD, 2026) Archived copy (OGL): archived page
- GOV.UK - Strategic Defence Review 2025 (MOD) Archived copy (OGL): archived page