BAE Systems has awarded manufacturing equipment contracts to a further 14 companies for Type 26 Frigate work.
The defence giant say this will support around 550 jobs across the UK maritime industry and bringing the total investment in the supply chain to more than £500m.
The largest of the new contracts are for the procurement of structural steel for the first three ships from UK and European steel mills by Dent Steel Services Ltd from its Bradford, UK facility, and sonar components critical to the ship’s anti-submarine warfare role, which are to be manufactured by Thales in Cheadle and Tods Defence from their Portland, UK facility.
The 14 companies awarded contracts are as follows
| Company | Equipment | Manufacture Location |
| Aeronautical & General Instruments | Helicopter visual landing aids | Poole, UK |
| Babcock | Helicopter landing grid | Bristol, UK |
| Cathelco | Hull preservation system | Chesterfield, UK |
| DCNS | Shaftline system | Nantes, France |
| Dent Steel Services | Structural steel sourcing | Bradford, UK |
| DESMI | Hot fresh water module and wholeship pumps | Norresundby, Denmark |
| Ernest West and Beynon | Cold and cool rooms | Paddock Wood, UK |
| JP Sauer | High pressure and low pressure compressors | Kiel, Germany |
| MSI Defence Systems | Small calibre gun | Norwich, UK |
| MacTaggart Scott | Mission bay side doors | Gdansk, Poland |
| Renold | Flexible drive shaft couplings | Cardiff, UK |
| Rohde & Schwarz | Multimedia Reception Distribution (MMRD) | Teisnach, Germany |
| Thales | Towed array system | Cheadle, UK |
| Tods Defence | Sonar domes | Portland, UK |
BAE Systems Maritime Services was also awarded the contract for manufacturing the Artisan Radar 997, for Type 26, assembly of which will take place in Cowes, UK.
A total of 34 companies across the maritime supply chain are working directly with BAE Systems to deliver the Type 26 Frigate fleet, with many more through the supply chain.
Geoff Searle, BAE Systems, Programme Director for Type 26 Global Combat Ship, said:
“Today’s announcement demonstrates that the Type 26 Global Combat Ship is truly an industry-wide effort drawing on the skills and dedication of many hundreds of people spread across the supply chain in the UK, Europe and beyond. We are now in the final stages of preparation to start manufacture of the Royal Navy’s first Type 26 Global Combat Ship in the coming weeks.”
Pete Eckersall, Vice President and Managing Director of Tods Defence said:
“Tods Defence is honoured to have been selected to design and manufacture the composite bow sonar domes, a highly sophisticated acoustically tuned part of the sonar system.
Our team has spent many years honing the talent and expertise required to produce such a critical component and we are privileged to have the opportunity to be a part of this prestigious programme.”
Looking at these orders makes you realise just how international the type 26 frigate actually is. Many many components from our dear EU partners, will these orders further be at risk with Brexit?
I doubt it, BAE will have factored in possible cost increases when deciding what to get and where from.
Not sure where to put this, but as there has been a lot of talk about the excessive cost of the T26 this article must eve relevant.
http://breakingdefense.com/2017/07/danes-tout-340m-stanflex-frigate-for-us-navy-but-whats-real-cost/
I understand if people aren’t happy with the design and cost base – but actually both the Huitfeldt and Absalon class operate in NATO fleets and by all accounts do very very well.
Perhaps we should buy these en-masse and forget about T31
People should realise that when an order is placed abroad it is actually costing us 40% more. A British based contract keeps the labour and other local costs IN the UK economy and therefore adding value rather than being sent abroad.
I wonder if the ‘Tide Class’ tankers were 40% cheaper in S. Korea? A classic example of why we should never buy any military hardware abroad unless there is no UK option. We CAN do great things like the carriers and Crossrail. Sadly we have educated ourselves to not bother.
And before Sturgeon & Co start whingeing about the content of British Steel in the new Type 26 they should remember the complete new Forth Road Bridge was built in China and shipped over. Another wasted opportunity.
And we should be paying British workers to scrap our own vessels when they are life expired.
Chris you are right
we need to adopt the Trump mantra
“Buy British, Build in Britain, Invest in Britain, employ in Britain”
That attitude is not racist or derogatory to anyone and is exactly what our European friends and partners do- Germany and France do not buy warships or auxiliaries abroad or get foreign companies in to run their infrastructure, power, water, services- we have simply sold off our entire country to state owned foreign powers- EDF for example. The selling off of the UK started with Thatcher, continued with Major and Blair/ Brown and then the Colib government of Cameron/ Clegg.
EDF for example take UK profits and squirrel them away to France to pay their share holders dividends.
The UK is in such a state currently that it makes any sensible person want to think about emigrating to a country that is not such a walk over.