Exclusive drone footage reveals the rapid development of the new shipbuilding hall at BAE Systems’ shipyard in Govan, Glasgow.

The Janet Harvey Hall wil significantly enhance the UK’s naval shipbuilding capabilities.

The massive facility’s construction involves over 6,000 tonnes of steel and 20,000 cubic metres of concrete. Once completed, it will accommodate two Type 26 Frigates side by side, providing a substantial boost in production efficiency.

Glasgow frigate factory named Janet Harvey Hall by BAE

The footage, captured legally by a qualified drone operator in compliance with UK drone legislation, offers a detailed look at the scale and progress of the build. The operator ensured all safety measures, including insurance and a pre-approved flight plan, were in place.

Previously, the assembly of HMS Glasgow took place in an outdoor hard-standing area, where sections built in the existing hall were joined. The new shipbuilding hall will allow for indoor assembly, shielding the process from weather conditions. This modernisation effort aims to increase the yard’s capacity and efficiency.

The new hall, measuring approximately 81 metres wide, 170 metres long, and 49 metres high, will be a significant upgrade while the original build hall remains operational. The facility’s completion is expected to streamline the production of future Type 26 Frigates, reinforcing the UK’s naval infrastructure.

The Type 26 frigate, also known as the City-class frigate, represents the next generation of anti-submarine warfare vessels being developed for the Royal Navy. Variants are planned for the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy. This project, known as the Global Combat Ship programme, aimed to replace the Royal Navy’s ageing Type 23 frigates and to offer a versatile platform for export.

The Type 26 frigate originated from the Future Surface Combatant (FSC) programme, which began in 1998 to find replacements for the Type 22 and Type 23 frigates. Initial concepts included various designs, such as a trimaran hull, but by 2010, the focus shifted to a more conventional and flexible design under the Global Combat Ship programme, you can find out more about the ship in one of our previous guides to the vessel.

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Lisa has a degree in Media & Communication from Glasgow Caledonian University and works with industry news, sifting through press releases in addition to moderating website comments.
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Ian M
Ian M
2 months ago

BIIIIIG shed

Baker
Baker
2 months ago
Reply to  Ian M

3/4’s of a BIIIIIG shed ! 😀. Soon be there though by the looks of it.
Now then Triton, who remembers this RV ? A rather interesting research programme that led to the conclusion that single hull warships were still the better option.

ABCRodney
ABCRodney
2 months ago
Reply to  Baker

If you look at the images for last week you’ll see this is an older video 😉

Jon
Jon
2 months ago
Reply to  ABCRodney

Even though we’ve seen it before, it’s still very very good.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
2 months ago
Reply to  Baker

Me.

SailorBoy
SailorBoy
2 months ago

Me too

Baker
Baker
2 months ago
Reply to  SailorBoy

You were just 3 years old…… 😂😂😂

SailorBoy
SailorBoy
2 months ago
Reply to  Baker

I didn’t know when it was new, but I got a bit obsessed with trimarans last year and hunted for it on Google Earth. It’s next to some wind turbine blades in a port on the East coast (can’t remember which).

Baker
Baker
2 months ago
Reply to  SailorBoy

Hull lol. I Like you mate, you make me smile !!!!😁. Can’t wait to see you leave 6th form and go to college ! Can I ask what you will be studying mate ?

SailorBoy
SailorBoy
2 months ago
Reply to  Baker

I’m just starting L6th, hoping to study either MechEng or Aeronautical Engineering at Uni in a couple of years’ time.
Haven’t a clue where, just sort of hoping something presents itself in the next year.
Pipe dream is to work for either BAE, Qinetiq or MBDA.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
2 months ago
Reply to  SailorBoy

Ohhh, SB hunts for things on GE. Much like me with the installations and sneaky beaky stuff…
In the voice of the Emperor “I’m looking forward to completing your training” 😀

SailorBoy
SailorBoy
2 months ago

The UKDJ edition of the pub crawl.
The “MoD Estate crawl”
It’s surprising what you can find on GE and helps with the imagination when it comes to Duqm, Gib etc, where I am unlikely to ever go.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
2 months ago
Reply to  SailorBoy

It’s surprising what you can find on GE”
It is. Lots of “secrets” actually in plain sight. If you know where to look.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
2 months ago
Reply to  SailorBoy

Several sites of interest at Gib.

SailorBoy
SailorBoy
2 months ago

Update, having had a look on Maps:
It’s in Hull, in docks on the north bank of the Humber.

Rob
Rob
2 months ago
Reply to  SailorBoy

Great Yarmouth

SailorBoy
SailorBoy
2 months ago
Reply to  Rob

Are you sure?
I can’t see a dock there that could be used for long term storage of such a large ship.
I did see early this year that Triton was on offer on a super yacht retail website for conversion into a yacht with helipad.
Main attraction seemed to be the very good fuel efficiency.

Rob
Rob
2 months ago
Reply to  SailorBoy

I tend to work on the east coast at the moment and last time I was in Yarmouth she was along side. Doesn’t mean that is where she lives though could only have visiting like was.😀

SailorBoy
SailorBoy
2 months ago
Reply to  Rob

The latest info I can find (from 2021) is that Triton is currently owned by Gardline Marine Services as a hydrographic survey vessel, so she probably travels around a bit.
Gardline is based on the East coast, so that’s her stomping ground at the moment.

Rob
Rob
2 months ago
Reply to  SailorBoy

Makes sense, Gardine Marine head office Yarmouth.

Baker
Baker
2 months ago

💪

Baker
Baker
2 months ago

Something about Stability as a Gun platform in heavy Seas from memory wasn’t it ?

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
2 months ago
Reply to  Baker

No idea mate.

ChariotRider
ChariotRider
2 months ago
Reply to  Baker

Yeh, I think it was roll accelerations that made it uncomfortable for the crew. I would have thought stablisation would sort out the implications for gunnery. I have wondered if the findings from the research on Triton helped BMT come up with their Pentamaran design. It looks like a triamaran from the front but the outriggers are actually a pair of hulls stepped one behind the other with the forward unit out of the water in flat conditions. It has been built as a USV and achieves lower roll accelerations reducing loading on onboard systems. This is achieved because of… Read more »

Dern
Dern
2 months ago
Reply to  Baker

I believe that Triton is still hanging around, though no longer in MoD ownership?

SailorBoy
SailorBoy
2 months ago
Reply to  Dern

It’s in a port marina in Hull, next to a storage site for wind turbines. As of early this year a super yacht website was offering it for conversion into an oceangoing motor cruiser with full accomodation, helipad etc.

Spyinthesky
Spyinthesky
2 months ago
Reply to  Baker

Didn’t the Americans borrow it and upon tests decided to build the Independence class? Considering the troubles in that class of ships probably was the right decision to stay monohull though you can see the logic.

Quentin D63
Quentin D63
2 months ago
Reply to  Spyinthesky

The Aussies used it here as a customs or RAN patrol ship up north for a while too. I think as a bit of a gap filler prior to the Evolved Cape class coming along. You can see the Chinese exploring this tri-hull type ship with some of their display models, they’ve even copied the Swedish Visby class including the forward 40mm mount.

Bringer of Facts
Bringer of Facts
2 months ago

Older video? , a previous article shows the internal Cranes being delivered, and in those photos, the roof looks 3/4 done.

Baker
Baker
2 months ago

👌

ABCRodney
ABCRodney
2 months ago

Lisa I am no Journalist but isn’t this slightly an odd way of showing progress on the Frigate Factory. To anyone who follows UKDJ it actually looks like progress is going backwards.
Last weeks articles had more recent still images showing the new crane being delivered / assembled, Cardiff getting ready for being launched and Assembly Hall in a more advanced state than these video / stills.

Wouldn’t it be better for clarity purposes to label images with a date or as a stock photo ?

Baker
Baker
2 months ago
Reply to  ABCRodney

To be fair though, Boots do take a while to process 45mm Films nowadays !!!! Seriously though, I didn’t really pay too much attention to the above pics but you are bang on.

Smickers
Smickers
2 months ago
Reply to  ABCRodney

I have just been looking at Navy Lookout (which I think is linked to UKDJ with a photo of the Ist 100 ton yellow gantry crane in place – It looks like a still from a drone)

Maybe Lisa used the old video in error?

Smickers
Smickers
2 months ago
Reply to  Smickers

Maybe not from a drone but from a boat on the Clyde

FormerUSAF
FormerUSAF
2 months ago
Reply to  ABCRodney

Projected completion date? In time for assembly of HMS ?

Baker
Baker
2 months ago

I’m surprised that no protesters were, Protesting about Global Sea Rise’s whilst they were pumping out all that water from the basin back in to the sea. It was enough water to sink a small Caribbean Island truth be known.

Jonno
Jonno
2 months ago

I’m glad we got a big shed. Those paltry little ones were never going to be much good for the Type 26 let alone the projected Type 83. The UK is now showing the USA what can be done on multiple fronts. I do however appreciate the Japanese Mogami Frigates and hope they will share some of their design excellence with us. Maybe we could further develop the Type 31 in that direction with max stealth.

Baker
Baker
2 months ago
Reply to  Jonno

The Mogami’s are akin to the T23 in size, T31 is larger and longer and we need a T83 that punches hard against the PLAN T 055 to my thinking, Italy, Germany, Japan and the USA all seem to be heading that way, this Shed’s dimensions worries me to be honest, as i’ve mentioned way too many times before.

Martin L
Martin L
2 months ago
Reply to  Baker

There is room to extend at the back by shortening some low level buildings,and the back looks to be just a wall so not a limiting factor if a larger build is required in future. Presumably those low level buildings are currently needed and replacing them would have added cost and delayed the build. No type 83 is going to be built for at least 5 years so plenty of time to extend if required. On the other hand a 165 metre vessel may well fit in the building being built now which is easily capable of doing the job… Read more »

Baker
Baker
2 months ago
Reply to  Martin L

Hello, I like this reply way better than most I’ve received, still not sure It helps to alleviate my concerns though. Might just have saved the money and built T83 at H & W. in tho open like all the other longer vessels. 🤔

ABCRodney
ABCRodney
2 months ago
Reply to  Baker

The only reason the larger ships are built that way is they can’t be covered due to the size (not even the US and China manage that one).
Building outside increases costs, takes longer and makes fabrication and QC far harder, it’s the same reason no one builds subs outside anymore.
All they will do is fill more of the basin in and extend the Hall forwards, as I’ve said elsewhere they can’t go backwards as they are listed buildings.

ABCRodney
ABCRodney
2 months ago
Reply to  Martin L

I believe you will find that cost had nothing to do with it, just the opposite. The original plan was to flatten them and start the building back level back to the boundary. That would have been cheaper than filling in and piling as much as they did.
They are part of the old Fairfield’s yard and are listed so no flattening allowed. I seem to remember the Hall was also supposed to be built to support a far heavier roof, yep Grassed !

SailorBoy
SailorBoy
2 months ago
Reply to  ABCRodney

Ah, a grass roof, to make it invisible to Satellite imagery of the centre of Glasgow? 😉
We need to hide our secret facilities of this sort from the Russians, of course.
Mind you, they probably think it’s in Chatham.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
2 months ago
Reply to  SailorBoy

Chatham, have you been reading TPL?
Putin has Chatham as a key target apparently.

SailorBoy
SailorBoy
2 months ago

TPL? Thin Pinstriped Line?
Yes, that’s what I was referring to, the apparently atrociously bad Russian intelligence on Britain.
Reminds me of the story from Oleg Penkiovsky’s biography when his colleagues at the KGB Residenzia in London were told that a sign of imminent nuclear war was that the price of blood would rise at blood banks- the assumption being that in a capitalist system even blood was a commodity to buy and sell on an open market.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
2 months ago
Reply to  SailorBoy

Yes mate, TPL.

Dern
Dern
2 months ago

Didn’t know Sir H had done an article on that, I saw the original Russian news program and spat my tea out.

I guess HMS Gannet would pose a significant risk to the Russian Surface fleet atm.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
2 months ago
Reply to  Dern

No article as such, just a mention on his Tweet concerning some papers released from the NA in Kew.

Baker
Baker
2 months ago

Brixton and Bradford naval bases would be better targets 😎

DB
DB
2 months ago
Reply to  Baker

Dunno, have you been to Tottenham?