BAE say the Type 26 Frigate will be a highly capable ship undertaking a wide range of roles from high intensity conflict to humanitarian assistance.
BAE Systems was recently awarded a contract by the Ministry of Defence worth £3.7bn to manufacture the first three of the eight Type 26 Frigate fleet.
Eight Type 23 Frigates are to be built, the contract for the second batch will be negotiated in the early 2020s.
Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:
“The Type 26 Frigate is a cutting-edge warship, combining the expertise of the British shipbuilding industry with the excellence of the Royal Navy. We will cut steel on the first ship later this month – a hugely significant milestone that delivers on our commitment to maintain our global naval power. These ships will be a force to be reckoned with, there to protect our powerful new carriers and helping keep British interests safe across the world.”
Commenting on this important announcement, Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive, BAE Systems said:
“The award of this contract is a strong endorsement of the talent and commitment of our employees across the UK and reinforces Glasgow as the centre of shipbuilding in the UK. We are extremely proud to be chosen to design and manufacture vessels that will give the Royal Navy an essential, next generation capability and be a vital addition to its fleet.
“We will continue to invest in our technologies, productivity and people to help us deliver these ships to the highest standards. Today we have five River Class Offshore Patrol vessels at varying stages of construction for the Royal Navy across our shipyards in Glasgow and we look forward to starting manufacture on the first Type 26 ship in the coming weeks.”
The UK Government committed to eight advanced anti-submarine warfare ships in its 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). The Type 26 programme currently employs more than 1,200 people in the UK supply chain, with a number of contracts already in place for the manufacture of major equipment for the first three ships.
What a superb creation. I can only hope post Brexit when our trade and global reach vastly improve that are growing economy enables more than 8 to be eventually realised. Perhaps a batch 2 in future years.
We desperately need to get back to a fleet of 32 frigates and destroyers, the crews to man them ,the Carriers and the infrastructure to keep them going. Politicians have destroyed our ability to defend ourselves adequately and our commitments.
Would like to see the RAN get some of these
Looks stunning. Has real prescence. Kudos to the design team.
I would agree, it looks to be a superb ship and what a facinating insight into the design phase. I live in hope that type 31 will turn out to be a GP variation on this design and the RN get the numbers needed.
If we really must go for a 4000 ton GP Frigate, then take the opportunity to build 10 not 5. That would have at least get us back to 24 escorts, together with the 5 River batch 2’s taking over the low end tasking, it would make a positive turning point in the right direction.
The Royal Navy is in a parlous state and the lack of destroyers and frigates has emboldened the Russians to treat it as a joke with their ever increasing flotillas of ships passing through the English Channel. The Type 26 frigate programme must be accelerated and we need at least 4 more Type 45 destroyers. We must be able to defend or shores.
These ships look fine and dandy but must be fitted ‘with’ and not ‘for’ anti surface capabilities. The harpoon was a very effective anti-ship missile and must be fitted to all destroyers and frigates.
there’s a solution to the harpoon problem here
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/11/17/solution_to_navy_harpoon_missile_withdrawal_problem/
A frigate for humanitarian assistance, while standing tasks are being fulfilled by supply vessels… what a great deal of fleet composition.
One has to wonder, if a 4,000t+ pure ASW-frigate would have been the right path, with AAW and/or GP/mothership variants following later on; 24 vessels total, which would have filled the ranks by a common baseline design with one build per year, a sustainable drumbeat and better economies of scale.
Now, there are all eggs in one basket, and no strategy in sight. At least it looks nice and pointy.
John and Howard. Utterly correct need at least26 escort warships. We have to find the money to fund the RN correctly. 26 frigates and destroyers as a minimum. I would love to see a further order for 4 more type 26s to bring the number to 12 of the class. Until defence gets correct political attention and it becomes an election issue this will never happen though. As a nation with a budget deficit and leaving EU we seem more prepared to pay a EU divorce bill and give £13 billion a year away to failed states in foreign aid… Read more »
Absolute bargain.
This looks a very capable ship but I do question the need for a chinook capable deck on a frigate. The key point for me is its attack capabilities, how will it sink another ship of comparable size if need be. How will it sink a submarine? Great news on the sheer amount of VLS onboard (72 about time) and the distribution of these across the ship not just fore. Can T31 not be a smaller version of this (with a Merlin capable deck) and a single hanger/mission deck? All questions that need answering as it seems to be an… Read more »
correction: LRASM
I would envisage the second batch to be three again, this would enable a steady introduction into service, as well as keeping a strict watch on costs and political pressures. I would not be surprised if a third batch of three could materialize? A nine class fleet would help to establish the post-Brexit navy, whose operation envelope will, without a doubt, broaden.
Not enough , repeat not enough, repeat not enough. Mr Fallon bangs on about the Navy being a Global Force but its an absolute farce to claim this with a fleet of 8 Type 23 frigates. He knows , we know it and the World knows it. Stop trying to kid us , it just doesnt work. Talk,s cheap
Mr Fallon
Solution to harpoon problem:
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/11/17/solution_to_navy_harpoon_missile_withdrawal_problem/