Britain said on Friday it had awarded Rolls-Royce a 9 billion pound ($11 billion) eight-year contract to design, make and support the nuclear reactors that power its fleet of submarines, amid U.S. calls for higher defence spending.

Rolls-Royce will manufacture nuclear reactors to power new U.K. submarines under a contract valued approximately at $11.1 billion.

Labour has put growing the U.K. economy at the forefront of its plans since returning to power in July—but has yet to deliver on its pledge.