The Type 26 ‘City class’ Frigate will be a powerful and flexible frigate with a wide array of cutting edge sensors and weapons, but what will those weapons be?
The City class will be equipped with the Type 997 Artisan 3D search radar and Sea Ceptor air-defence missiles launched via a 48 cell vertical launching system positioned.
The Sea Ceptor silo’s will be positioned on the bow and at the funnel of the vessel.
An additional 24-cell Mark 41 “strike-length VLS” is positioned forward of the bridge capable of firing missiles such as the Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile, a future anti-ship missile, or even more quad packed Sea Ceptor missiles although this is incredibly unlikely.
Recently, Harriett Baldwin and her French counterpart signed an agreement to explore future long range weapons for the British and French Navies and Air Forces.
The missile however will not be ready to replace Harpoon until 2030, leaving the Type 26 Frigates without any real means to engage surface warships aside from their helicopters.
Like the Type 23 frigate it will replace, the Type 26 will have an acoustically quiet hull for anti-submarine warfare and will be fitted with a Thales Underwater Systems Type 2050 bow sonar and a powerful Sonar 2087 towed array.
The frigate will also be fitted with guns of various calibres. Instead of the RN’s current 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun, the frigate will be equipped with a NATO-standard BAE 5 inch, 62-calibre Mark 45 naval gun.
Smaller guns include two Phalanx CIWS, two 30mm DS30M Mark 2 Automated Small Calibre Guns and a number of miniguns and general-purpose machine guns.
Depends on the extent of “fitted for but not with”.
so true
if war breaks out we will have a navy for about a week
Fit to Receive…I loved that.
Question- “So what optional extras do you get with a T26 deploying to the Gulf”
Answer – ” Well actually its all optional extras….”
Long delays in getting the builds underway forcing us to pay over the odds for the River Batch 2s to fulfill TOBA obligations and a slow build rate possibly meaning a temporary drop in escort numbers and probably adding to the overall program cost are all frustrating aspects of the program but, judged solely on the specs for the ships to be finally delivered, this looks like it could be a world-class frigate. It’s going to be interesting to see the VLS configuration for the Australian and Canadian bids. I suspect all-Mk41 at the front but maybe not space for… Read more »
With the size and advanced capability these ships will offer I am surprised that they are designated frigates.
They have the displacement of second world war light cruisers.
The Type 26 will be superior additions to the fleet, that much is obvious.
This whole anti ship missiles business is a complete joke and once again highlights the complete incompetence of our politicians. They think because we got away with the aircraft carrier/carrier jet gap, that they can do this as well, but no missiles is the same as sending in the army armed only with pistols. If we get into a war, ever man and woman aboard every royal navy war ship is DEAD. Even a third world nation would be able to sink the entire fleet. If world war three happens and this comes to pass, I’ll be campaigning for the… Read more »
We will be dead, the politicians and senior civil servants will be holed up in a plushly furnished bunker somewhere, drinking fine wines and consuming luxury food prepared by their personal chefs. LOL, it is a sick world.
Oh dear, what an angry little chap you are, Steven.
You aren’t Russian are you ?!
If we are all dead from from a Russian or North Korean nuclear bomb anti-ship missiles won’t be that concerning ?
It doesn’t even need to be WW3. Any conflict that brings with it ship to ship combat will see every saliors on Royal Navy Warships at the bottom fo the sea. Afterwords the politicans will play the blame game, hold a review that exonerates them of all responsibility and then say ‘lessons learned’.
They will probably be too busy welcoming our new overlords to show them around the Parliament they will be begging them to keep if only to show the plebs that nothing has really changed.
yeah labour said they wouldn’t even use a nuclear weapon in defence
ASMs are not defensive so how is not having a Harpoon replacement going to kill anyone? Stealth design, Soft kill and Hard kill are what protect ships. ASMs allow you to reach out and touch people at a distance and as such have them keep their distance from you. Harpoon is a 60 mile slow flight missile and needs over the horizon targeting to be effective. Other “enemy” ASM systems may be of longer range but still suffer from the issues that all ASMs have. These are- 1. You need to know where your target is to begin with. Its… Read more »
This is priceless. A quick dummies guide to ASM. Thanks Gunbuster, I for one really appreciate your time in writing the above and it helped me put a few pieces together. What is your view on Chemring’s Centurion trainable decoy (and some other stuff) launcher? A few commentators that I have read have really hoped it would find its way on to T26 (and it might yet, some renders have seemed to show it on occasion but that means nothing). Chemring’s blurb says the trainable bit is a big deal because it can cut down on the need for ship… Read more »
You’re not wrong Julian, there has been some great posts by Gunbuster, this is another.
Having read that I think it’s further proof that ship on ship warfare is more or less dead. The biggest threat to a ship are submarines and aircraft.
A decoy launcher that can train is nothing new. The old Corvus 3″ launcher trained and could shoot off rockets in all directions. However If it trains it can break down. A fixed launcher is simple, easy to maintain and has little to go wrong with it. When putting chaff up you have a number of factors to consider. Missile course and speed and its type of search/homing pattern Ships course. Wind Speed and direction relative to the ship. RCS of the vessel (you need to put the least radar attractive profile towards the missile) Firing arcs for Hard kill.… Read more »
Thanks again for a really interesting and comprehensive answer.
Good answer, showing the difficultiers of fighting at sea.
But surely having something like this on the ships — a straight off the shelf purchase — would be better to have, than not have in battle.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Strike_Missile
I agree, the msin ship.killer is the sub. The arm.chair theorists have little idea about modern Naval warfare. Any surface threat agsinst the RN would be neutralised by an SSN. No Navy (US would struggle)n the World can deal with an Astute…see what Conqueror did in 82…
What is this guy Lewis smoking? We do have submarines! When was the last time a British ship was attacked by another ship?
Probably the last time we engaged with a peer nation? We currently have 7 SSNs what are the chances of one of them being in the right place at the right time to protect your shipping by attacking your opponents ship that has plenty of ship killers on it? Not all UK warships currently carry jammers, will the type 26 all have them? most probably not just fitted for but not with. Over the horizon targeting isn’t a insurmountable problem as most maritime nations except the UK have MPAs and peer nations have satellites with near real time capability also… Read more »
Utterly agree Lewis, the decision to not replace Harpoon is tantamount to criminal incompetence and premeditated murder. The same politicians that are making these decisions are signing defence commitments to deploy the QE carriers to the South China Sea, operate East of Suez. This decision could spell utter defeat of the Royal Navy in any future conflict against a competent enemy with a mediocre capability. 2030s when Perseus missile is supposed to be getting ready by MBDA is over 13 years away. That is not an inconsiderable period of time. Why is it not palatable to order in the NSM… Read more »
Don’t leave out the foreign aid lobbyists
If an enemy with a “mediocre capability” possesses a threat that we do not, what does that say about our capability ? The next person that sings “Rule Britannia” in my vicinity may well get a punch on the nose for being so far removed from reality.
I agree, the msin ship.killer is the sub. The arm.chair theorists have little idea about modern Naval warfare. Any surface threat agsinst the RN would be neutralised by an SSN. No Navy (US would struggle)n the World can deal with an Astute…see what Conqueror did in 82…
criminal incompetence and premeditated murder.
What absolute nonsense…really…?
Although nice to have, the RN has mitigated the risk… the RN cannot spare escorts to get involved with a ssm brawl…the SSN will do the job. Failig that carrier aviation…honestly what country in the Workd thst we are likely to go up against can counter an SSN plus aviation…
Only arm chair experts would make such ill informed, idiotic, assannine, remarks…
incompetnce? we’re the worlds leading authority on that one, that’s why the u.s coastguard has more ships than we do
But we do it with so much more panache than the yanks……..
Pomposity not panache.
The US Coastguard has a few cutters and inshore patrol boats.
Not entirely sure that these vessels could replace Albion, Ambush let alone the QEC.
But Steven is right,his own posts are pompous and over the top ! Neat trick…
Wow I can only imagine the level of explosive vehemence if our destroyers showed an incapability to spot tankers and the like before they actually crash into them.
Like your subs?
Settle down chaps. By the time the first Type 26 is ready we can have LRASM or Tomahawk AS. Since we will be buying more TLAM anyway we will probably buy some anti ship versions as well. Or we might buy LRASM if the US replace TLAM with that. What enemy outwith Russia or China can threaten us with dozens of aircraft with multiple anti ship missiles anyway? the argies only had FIVE Exocet! A single escort could handle that now (Type 45 or 23/26). Think about the threat level before shouting about murder.
This reminds me of the Falklands when a lot of brave men died be our ships weren’t equipped with an air defence system that could cope with WW2 boming tactics. I blame the admirals who were obviously obsessed with hull numbers over equipment they carried.Imagine if we had come across the Russianation navy. !
Most of the vessels where close to shore or stationary in San Carlos when hit. The Falklands was not a blue water open ocean fight. Sea Dart was ok for long range engagements. Sea Cat was on its last legs by then but Sea Wolf coped OK and would have shot down the aircraft attacking Coventry if Coventry had not sailed across the T22s bow and broke the lock Sea Wolf had on the incoming aircraft. However there where only 2 T22s available and we where goalkeeping the carriers most of the time. The Post Falklands lessons learnt was a… Read more »
Lets hope we don’t ever have to see anti submarine frigates protecting anti aircraft vessels from air attack any time soon.
While it is true that the ball has been dropped on the anti-ship missiles, there are many positives about the way the RN is evolving. The Americans are buying LRASM as a stop-gap until something better (like Perseus) can be readied. We can do he same.
The Australian Government started receiving submissions for sea 5000 future frigates including BAE GCS/Type 26. The evolved F-5000 from the spanish F100 looks strong. 48 cell VLS and new calls from government to upgrade to SM3 and SM6 capability. It’s looking like Australia’s fleet will be potentially a large destroyer fleet if you read between the lines.
I’m sorry, but how do you plan to properly equip our ships while at the same time introduce more cut backs? Cutting defence spending and endlessly cancelling projects on cost grounds is what has led to shortcomings in our capability in the first place.
Or you could tell people on welfare that the feeding trough has a limit. Eliminate all foreign aid. Impose tariffs on companies shipping jobs overseas. Jail anyone dodging the tax. Government exists only to 1.Provide for the Common Defense 2. Provide Domestic Tranquility (Law and Order) 3. Promote the General Welfare. Note the order in which these are placed. You cannot pay off your dedt and reduce tax and spending. As someone on the right or center would want. If your dead or occupied and speaking Russian,Chinese,Farsi, or Arabic whatever language your conquerer imposes. Nor can you engage in whatever… Read more »
It’s all about money with America isn’t it, so you don’t think a country should come to a countries aid unless it spends on defence?
A bit like looking the other way when a kid is getting bullied because he’s not fighting back.
Only an American would think like that.
We’re British pal, we have a thing called honour. That’s why we risked and lost an empire to fight tyranny, where as you joined in to gain one.
It was TH who made it about money. I was pointing out the irrationality of expecting someone else to pick up the tab both in spending and lives. When you start to show yourself unwilling to defend yourself or your interest. Why should the Congress of the United States be asked to tell their constituents, that their taxes are going to be raised? That their sons and daughters are going once more overseas to fight and die? Why should the Governors of the 50 states be forced call up their Guards to duty? All because allies on the far side… Read more »
No Elliott, TH said “let the US police the world” even if every country in NATO decided to spend 5% of GDP on defence, do you think USA would cut defence spending? Stop getting involved overseas? Would it b***s. “There is no honour in fighting for those who won’t fight for themselves” What a deplorable comment. Elliot, if Sweden and Norway tomorrow decided to cut its defence budgets to next to nothing and put that money into health, cancer research, new antibiotics etc, and a few years down the line they were invaded and attacked by an agressor, if Britain… Read more »
Kieran C
“We don’t need you’re help in Europe, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland, combined with the rest of European allies could quite easily defend Europe against any threat.”
LMFAO Like hell you can.
The US spends the most out of NATO and the US is NATO. We’re the ones that contribute most of the hardware and money. We’re the only ones in Europe that can step up to the plate in defense. It sure as hell ain’t the Europeans. Certainly not the United Kingdom. The US is the only country that can properly defend Europe from Russia.
“The US is the only country that can properly defend Europe from Russia” Russia would make some initial progress but ultimately would get smashed. Russia’s GDP is about 1/7th the GDP of Germany, UK and France alone, about 1/12th the entire GDP of NATO countries in Europe. Italy and Spain each have a higher GDP than Russia. Turkey is mostly in Asia but is technically a partly European neighbor of Russia and has a significant number of tanks that threaten Russia’s southern borders and oil fields. The European nations have a large population advantage over the Russians as well maybe… Read more »
Not even 250 challenger 2s in service. Germany leopards in service 328 by 2021 roughly 260 in 2015 report. France 200 leclerc service. Wow a Grand Armee Napoleon would be proud. You’re lines would be spread so thin they would merely go around you and defeat you in detail. That sound you hear is the sound of men dying fuel, food, or ammunition in the snow. The Germans and the French should be intimately familiar with sound. Air power have even read the studies from the War College about what happens to air forces that fly in that many concentrated… Read more »
Elliott – As I have said before I admire the USA and its people for many reasons. I have lived, worked and holidayed there and done a ‘bit’. So before you launch into yet another personal broadside please read very carefully what I am saying: You have just eloquently shown why Americans have a very negative reputation outside of the USA. Your superior and self righteous attitude is neither justified or correct let alone appropriate. And certainly not when it comes to the defence of Europe. For example you scoffed childishly at European Challengers, Leopards and Leclercs one of which… Read more »
Very well said Chris.
My numbers of active vehicles are correct. I do not count vehicles in storage. They take time to bring back to service no matter how “warm” the storage. Also how many trained tankers are available? How long to train more? On the Abrams I highly doubt you have ever served in one or served along side them. Suffice to say you are misinformed. Yes it uses armor developed from Chobham composites. No we do not use the same it is denser and heavier. Also hence the weight leading to the selection of the turbine engine. Composite armor was already under… Read more »
How do you get America to join a war??
Tell them it’s nearly finished!
Haha it’s an old one but still a classic.
Elliott – Your superiority complex is so ingrained you cannot even see that as soon as you wrote those immortal words: “Your not speaking German is owed to Americans and Russians” You actually confirmed the entirety of my last post. I am not sure what the Americans were doing for us in 1940 (or indeed in 1941) other than sell us anything paid for FOB cash. I do exclude the volunteer US airmen who made up the three RAF Eagle Squadrons of course. As for the Russians saving us again I am not sure what they did for us in… Read more »
The 13 Colonies is a wasted argument, in those days Britain was more concerned about France than what was considered a worthless Colony 000s of miles away…
To be honest what are we going to do, none on the new generation of heavy weight ASMs are ready, our harpoons are now at the end of their lives. So do we spend what little money we have on a legacy system that we have historically never ever used once, or save our cash for something better ( you can be assured if we renew harpoon we will be living with it for the next 20 years, when everyone else has somthing better). It’s worth remembering the RN Does not go about hurling heavy weight ASMs at other ships… Read more »
I do feel sorry for the UK public in that so much time and money has been expended on the Daring destroyers, these “frigates” and potentially the Type 31 frigates. Had the requirement been foreseen, an off the shelf design modified to UK requirements to fill AAW and ASW could have been constructed in UK yards, This would achieve economies of scale across the build allowing for greater unit numbers and savings in terms of common weapons systems, GT, radars etc.
Ryan the issue is you can’t really have have a hull that does both AAW and ASW very well ( even if you fit it out differently) the requirements are so different. The burkes are the best example out there of a hull that does both, but even the burkes have been optomised towards one task, AAW and are therefore not as effective ASW platforms as something top end and dedicated like the type23. Simply put the RN likes its ASW and AAW platforms pretty much totally focused on there primary role, and as they are just about the only… Read more »
I have worked with and on multi role vessels that another navy uses. All the reasons above where given and they bought into it. (MEKOs)
They have told me that they will not be making the same mistake again and their new builds will be dedicated to AAW and ASW.
As for savings in commonality there is little that is common. Nav radar , hull mounted sonar and misc equipment perhaps but the big ticket expensive stuff such as Radars , Missiles, engines etc are to specialist for each vessel.
Hello TH. Can I point out that cutting and pasting the same negative comment over and over is wearing a bit thin. Can’t you vary it a bit?
Lot of Russian commentators here. How about doing some checking on the origins of commentators??
Russianation – jeesh.
I see the scum from the defence industry’s PR agencies are typing their usual bilge that anyone who is concerned about this debacle is Russian. Flogging is too good for them.
Governments spend money into existence, the debt is irrelevant. It is simply an artefact of the fact that money is debt, the more money there is the more debt there is.
…and why is the Mk41 limited to Tomahawk and “quad-packed Sea Ceptor”? Why not ASROC, LRASM, SM6? This frigate would be a World-beater if configured maximally.
$$$
I’d prefer to see the front silo all Mk41, as I suspect the versions being put forward for the Australian and Canadian bids will be, and quad-pack some Mk41 with Sea Ceptor as required because even if they could only fit an extra 12 Mk41 in place of the forward Sea Ceptor silos that would still give an appreciably bigger total load-out (48 forward Sea Ceptor instead of existing 24 or need 6 of the extra Mk41 to duplicate the existing 24 forward Sea Ceptors and still leave over an extra 6 Mk41 for ASROC, LRASM, SM6 etc). Having said… Read more »