New photographs taken today of BAE Systems’ Scotstoun yard show HMS Glasgow moving deeper into the final stages of her build, with the ship’s 127mm main gun, both communications masts, and a series of smaller topside fittings now clearly visible.
Over the past six months, Glasgow has advanced through the core outfitting phase. Some major weapons and sensors have been installed, including the bow sonar and the mission bay handling system. Much of the recent work has involved powering up electronics, running cable routes, and aligning the ship’s systems ahead of trials.
Both 17-metre pole masts and the central composite mast are now in place, with radar, satcom and electronic warfare equipment entering their testing cycles.
The fitting of the Artisan radar remains a still-to-be-done item, however.
Glasgow is now positioned for the move into sea trials in early to mid-2026, when contractors will take the ship to sea to test propulsion, steering, communications and mission systems. If those trials proceed as planned, the ship will transfer to the Royal Navy in late 2026, followed by a year of Navy-led operational trials and live weapon tests. Full operational capability is expected in 2028.
As the first of a now thirteen-ship class, Glasgow’s progress will set the pace for the wider Type 26 programme.
Thirteen ship class?
Eight for the Royal Navy, five for the Sjøforsvaret.
Ahhh. For some reason I thought it was 6.
Its been a long day…
There’s an option for a 6th
I assume George is adding in the Scandinavian order which is being built here
It is a mystery to me why they call these things frigates. Cruiser seems more appropriate in view of their size and place in the pecking order.
probably more like a destroyer than cruiser in tonnage terms
It’s all very arbitrary.. just take the US they had cruisers they first called destroyers, then frigates then finally cruisers..
Good to see the progress.
Looking good. Shame we can’t have a decent MG on the T31s. A 5″ shell hits a hell of a lot harder & does far more damage than a piddly 57mm. If only the RN was getting 13 T26. I’d like to see B2 T31/T32 with 5″ main gun & better ASW capability, like most other western navies do on their frigates. Our lack of mass & extreme vulnerability with such a tiny fleet could leave us virtually defenceless if an enemy strike knocked out several of our escorts.
You need perhaps to appreciate just how useful those modern guns are on the T31 especially when using the latest precision and intelligent ammo. Fitting Mk41VLS will give so many missile options too – the need for a heavier gun is arguable especially when the costs of adding such to the design might have been considerable
If we’d hit on the idea of a split frigate fleet right from the start, T31 would have had the 5″ and T26 the 57mm. T26 is either by itself in the middle of the Atlantic, where there’s no need for NGFS or in a CSG where the extra defensive capability of the 57 is useful. T31 will be by itself closer to shore and with a lot of small opponents, where having a big gun is a lot more useful. Some of the T31e candidates had the 5″ (a lot of them were much more capable than what we are now receiving, but nobody combined the gun with the big hull the RN really wanted) but Bofors’ combination of 57 and 40 were chosen instead.
That said, the ASW rounds for the 5″ look very interesting and the T26 would obviously be able to make best use of them.
Interestingly the 57mm and 40mm were apparently the most effective gun fit for the target types the RN gave the contractors.
Kingfisher
They hell are you hitting with a 5 inch shell these days?
Enclosed FX judging were the fairleads for the headrope is positioned haven’t seen that before on a Destroyer let alone a Frigate .
These are going to be really good looking ships. Love it when form + function work together.
Still no radars fitted …..how long untili sea trials?