Ministers have restated that a combined force of thirteen Type 26 frigates with Norway is expected to enter service from the late 2020s, with five Type 31 frigates in service by the early 2030s, and that the Type 23 fleet will go through phased retirement, according to an answer given in Parliament.
Andrew Rosindell, the Reform UK member for Romford, asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he would make it his department’s policy to increase the lifespan of the Type 23 frigate fleet.
Luke Pollard, the Minister of State for Defence, said: “As set out in the Defence Investment Plan, the Ministry of Defence will be implementing a phased retirement Type 23 Frigates after decades of proud and faithful service.
“The Government is investing in: new autonomous surface vessels; autonomous sub-surface; an amphibious fleet with the Netherlands; future Common Combat Vessels; and delivering a combined force of 13 Type 26 frigates with Norway expected to enter service from the late 2020s; five Type 31 frigates expected to be in service by the early 2030s; and new Fleet Solid Support ships.
“To avoid compromising operational security, the Ministry of Defence does not routinely disclose individual out of service dates or specific in-service dates for warships to avoid revealing elements of the Fleet’s long-term schedule. However, the Royal Navy continues to ensure that it has sufficient assets available to deliver operational outputs.”
Norway selected the Type 26 this year, ordering at least five ships to replace its Fridtjof Nansen class and signing a strategic partnership with Britain that runs beyond the hulls to joint operations, shared support and common training. Britain is building eight at Govan and Scotstoun, and the thirteen figure counts both navies as one force, which is how the partnership has been presented since the Norwegian decision.
The Type 23s are the ships carrying the burden in the meantime. Designed for a sixteen year life in the Cold War, several have served more than thirty years, and the general purpose ships have been leaving as their refits became uneconomic. Westminster and Argyll both went early after surveys found work that could not be justified, and the remaining hulls are the towed array ships that hunt submarines.
Which century? 🫣 The speed we are moving at we’ll be lucky to get “all” thirteen ships by 2040, and then they’ll be fitted for but….?
Usual bullshit from the Government.. these ships have been in the mix since my kids were toddlers..two are getting grey hair now !! These ships should have been in service for ten years now , all of them .the type 23 should be a distant memory and a new class the type 29 or what ever should be on the stocks ..we should have had 16 type 26 to replace the 23s and at least 10 type 31s again already in service to replace the broadswords and type 21s ..we should also have replaced the peacock class with a light frigate/ patrol vessels like the rivers with space for additional weapons like nsm ..this isn’t pie in the sky ..if this latest in row of appalling governments had allowed the welfare to balloon and national debt to balloon we would be able to afford it with easy ..it’s not lack of money it’s lack of a credible Government.
Random that the Peacock’s have got a mention on two different sites today, can’t see why there’s an obession with them to be honest, there was a reason the RN turned them down at the time. The River’s could easily handle any such role given their up armed half sisters, but what role would there be for them?
“However, the Royal Navy continues to ensure that it has sufficient assets available to deliver operational outputs.” cue laughter?
Nobody believes that at all. T23s are simply running out of hull life nautical miles. They have done super well to keep going this long.