Babcock International recently announced a significant milestone in the construction of the Type 31 Inspiration Class frigate HMS Active.
Two major blocks, integral parts of the ship, were successfully lifted and turned in preparation for integration at the Venturer Building in Rosyth, according to a tweet from the company.
HMS Active is one of five planned Type 31 frigates, whose names were unveiled by the First Sea Lord in May 2021. The names reflect the future plans of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, emphasising themes such as forward deployment of ships overseas, operations in the North Atlantic, carrier operations, technology and innovation, and the Future Commando Force.
HMS Active, named after the Type 21 frigate that served in the Falklands War, is to symbolise the forward deployment of ships overseas.
It was lift-off for HMS Active, the Type 31 Inspiration Class frigate, as two major blocks which are part of its modular construction were safely lifted and turned to prepare for integration in our Venturer Building at Rosyth. pic.twitter.com/BvRQxdNAAw
— Babcock International (@Babcockplc) July 16, 2024
The construction of HMS Active began with a steel cutting ceremony on 23 January 2023, attended by dignitaries and veterans of her namesake. The keel was formally laid down on 16 September 2023, marking another key milestone. The ship is being constructed within the Venturer Hall at Rosyth Dockyard, which can build two ships simultaneously. The plan is for all five Type 31 frigates to be in service by February 2030.
The recent lift and turn of the blocks are part of the modular construction approach, which allows for significant components of the ship to be built and assembled separately before being integrated.
This method is designed to improve efficiency and reduce construction time.
You can see some recent pictures of Venturer if you Google:
“The Princess Royal visits HMS Venturer in Rosyth”
Pick the website titled “The Royal Family”
I’ll try that, it’s a while since we saw updated pictures. Any ideas as to when Venturer will be rolled out?
If the info I have read is correct, she was due to be floated in the first half of this year. Looking at the photos I would say we are still months away from that event.
This time last year it was q4 2023, then q1 2024, then changed to 1st half of the year.
Maybe it’s the weather but the ship just doesn’t seem to want to Venture out 🥴 Excuse the pun.
Belay that it’s now down as just 2024 !
👍😁
I was asking that last week.
I find the lack of announcements on this highly puzzling.
At some point they have to start assembling #3 so they need #1 out of the way.
So that has to be pretty soon based on my back of envelope calcs!
Looking at the pictures on the website there is a lot of painting to do. Having said that the pics were taken in April so they may have done a lot since. George, any further info from Scotland, you are nearer the action than many of us.
Was gonna say. I’ve seen other photos where these blocks are already installed so was confused about the timing of this post.
let’s get venturer speeded up
Are you talking about Venturer or Active?
Active, a fair portion of the Bow is there by now but not in these photos.
You are of the same mind as myself, this is getting more than slightly worrying, what makes it worse is this is a largely existing design and build process. On the later I don’t see much variation on the original Iversen Huitfledt class.
A bit of comparison.
HMS Venturer.
1st Steel Cut Sept 2021, Laid Down April 2022, still in shed 27 months later.
HDMS Iver Huitfeldt.
1st Steel cut ?? Difficult to say due to some blocks being fabricated in Estonia.
1st Block Laid down in build yard June 2008, Floated out March 2010. So 19 months.
Now it is difficult to compare like for like as we don’t know how much pre fitting has taken place but Iver Huitfeldt left the yard for her initial builders trials on 13th December 2010. Which is 30 months after being laid down.
Admittedly a lot of her combat systems and sensors were fitted later but she was sea worthy, habitable and carried out her initial Sea trials.
However considering that she wasn’t built in a hall but outside in a Drydock in Denmark that’s pretty impressive.
I honestly don’t get it.
Yes, Babcock have never built a whole warship there.
However, there will be a % of workforce from the QEC builds.
What state do you expect Venturer to be in when it leaves the build hall? In terms of maximizing hull life it ought to be ready for first under power trials just a few days after being put in the water.
I’d be amazed and pleased if that was the case.
I think she will be alongside for many months before any trials start.
She is first of class to be fair.
RN has never rushed these things in peace time. If you rushed it FOST would be a disaster.
No chance.
There are so many steps to go though first before you even consider turning over the engines.
Crew- Fire Fighting training, Operating training, system familiararity ( Valves, isolations, fuse panels, plugs, data connections)
Equipment.
Fuel system proven in operation. So tanks clean, pressure tested, pipe work flushed, pipework tested.
Firefighting systems , fixed and crew worn proven in operation so water spray systems, compartment drench, module drench, BA sets, HP Air cleanliness, HP Saltwater firemain, damage control system, vent systems.
Engine- Control systems local and remote, Lub oil systems, coolers, gearboxes, clutches, shafts, bearings…
The list goes on and on.
Thanks and yes very good photos of a more shipshape Venturer looking across from the blocks being put together on Active
excellent, now we need a real committment to accelerate the building calendar.
They seem to be progressing pretty quickly.
I know there used to be friendly rivalry between those who built ships on the Tyne and those on the Weir.
Is there similar rivalry between the Forth and the Clyde ?
It really isn’t, have a look at the timeline I’ve put together in my reply to SB. It’s not good at all 🤔 And no one is saying why !
The T31 is a version of the Danish Iver Huitfeldt Frigate and their build times were way faster than Babcock at Rosyth. One is being built inside a nice weather proof Assembly Hall, theirs were outside in a Danish Dry Dock which is on the Baltic and just a wee bit colder than Rosyth.🌨️❄️💨
Cheers, just seen your reply to SB.
The Iver Huitfeldt blocks were built in the Baltic States, assembled in Odense Steel Shipyard where civil fitout followed. Military fitting out was handled later in Naval Station Korsor. Three countries and four shipyards helped speed the process.
Nevertheless, I agree that Venturer’s lack of progress isn’t a good sign. Hopefully it will speed up.
It is certainly very true that IH’s initial trials were of a hull, engines, navigational systems and environmental systems and not much else. She was a civilian ship at that point with no military hardware.
For reasons of cheapness it was decided to do it that way – which makes perfect sense if you have a limited budget.
That said the build timelines cannot be compared for that reason.
Maybe HM Gov. may have to intervene? Did not a few decades ago, a vessel was towed out of a yard to another yard?
Lyme Bay, Swan Hunters to Scotstoun?
That option doesn’t exist due to lack of another facility or more workforce skilled in military build.
Why are these blocks not pre outfitted at least with pipework , just looks like old outdated build methods . Digital technology makes it possible to build modules and outfit in parallel to speed up progress and be more efficient .