Crew from HMS Vengeance, a British Royal Navy Vanguard class Trident Ballistic Missile Submarine, stand on their vessel as they return along the Clyde river to the Faslane naval base near Glasgow, Scotland December 4, 2006. REUTERS/David Moir/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's ministry of defence said on Saturday that construction work will begin on the country's new nuclear submarines, announcing nearly 1.3 billion pounds of new investment with defence firm BAE Systems BAES.L.

Lawmakers backed renewing Britain’s ageing nuclear weapons system earlier this year, a multi-billion pound project regarded as key to maintaining the country’s status as a world power following its vote to leave the European Union.

“The investment will support delivery of the Government’s commitment to retain the Trident-based continuous at sea deterrent – the ultimate guarantee of our safety – and build the new fleet of four Successor Ballistic Missile submarines,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

BAE Systems said the first new submarine will enter service in the early 2030s.