The government has outlined the full scope of the Naval Support Integrated Global Network programme in response to a parliamentary question.
Minister of State for Defence Luke Pollard provided the details in response to a written question from Ben Obese-Jecty, the Conservative MP for Huntingdon, tabled on 27 May. Pollard confirmed that NSIGN “will deliver in-service support to Royal Navy ships and submarines, alongside services enabling the maintenance and operation of sovereign naval bases, HMNBs Devonport, Clyde and Portsmouth.”
He said the programme encompasses “warships, support ships, submarine and naval base support, engineering support, alongside services and facilities management,” and is intended to “improve availability, resilience and value for money while supporting current, new and future platforms including Dreadnought, Type 26 and Fleet Solid Support Ships.”
NSIGN is the successor to the Future Maritime Support Programme, a long-running contract covering naval base and fleet support services. As the UK Defence Journal has previously reported, Pollard confirmed earlier this year that the FMSP would be extended to cover the period from April 2026 to October 2028 to ensure continuity ahead of the NSIGN transition, saying the move would “ensure a smooth transition to the Naval Support Integrated Global Network programme, which will continue the maritime support transformation started by the FMSP.”
Supplier negotiations for NSIGN were said at that time to be ongoing.
The NSIGN structure is intended to unify separate strands of naval support into a single framework, with submarines, ships and dockyard services considered in parallel with aligned decision points to ensure cohesion. The Submarines Project Outline Business Case was approved in April 2025, with Full Business Case approval expected in early 2026, while concept work on the Ships and Naval Bases projects was progressing toward business case approvals in early and mid-2026 respectively.
NSIGN is a Category A programme valued above £400 million, set up to optimise the future management and delivery of engineering support for Royal Navy ships and submarines including naval base services. It will cover all legacy, new-to-service and future platform types through a framework of contracts, with the ships engineering element aiming to deliver what the MoD has described as a major shift in availability.
A bit OT and probably nuts but could all the RNs Vickers 4.5″ gun mounts feasibly be reconditioned and upgraded to fit a 5″ gun? If barrels/breaches can be made in the UK? Its only 1/2″ difference and reduces ammo to just the 5″. It might cost a quid but maybe save millions instead of getting the BAE 5″. Could put on the T31s and T83, upgrade the T45s and keep the 57mm on the Rivers and other newer OPVs.
And in reverse is there any technology available where you can put a 1/2″ sheath over a 4.5″ shell so that it could be fired from a 5″ gun?
Hi Quentin, Not quite so easy, magazine and mag handling would need to be designed to take the 5in shell, which in turn possibly means a redesign of magazine cooling, fire suppression, power supply and data network. The cost of the gun barrel is a small component of the complete gun system.
Gunbuster would be the best person to give a detail answer.
100% impossible
Sounds like an idea that will cost an Arm and Two Legs..!
.It’s Not just a case of Breaches and Barrels ..!
You Also have to look at the Whoie Storage and Automation and Ejection Systems…!
Half inch in Engineering terms is a mile..!
I’m No Expert on 4 5″/5″ Shell Diffrences but I’ll Hazard a Guess their Shell Diameter isn’t their only Diffrence..!
That extra half inch equated to a shell that’s 50% heavier and substantially larger
More money at service contracts with grand titles, and many things it might fix, lets see will it be another renamimng that costs a lot but changes nothing.
Encouraging to see the service building blocks being put in place for the anticipated substantial increase in the RN. Aligning the decision points to ensure cohesion is simply outstanding. I’m lost in admiration.
I got lost in Aldermaston once.