The Ministry of Defence has for the first time officially confirmed that Type 26 frigate build slots currently allocated to the Royal Navy are being assessed for potential transfer to Norway, as part of wider efforts to align future anti-submarine warfare capability across NATO’s northern flank.
In a written answer to Conservative MP Mark Francois, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the UK was “working together with our Norwegian Partners” and “assessing options for offering Type 26 build slots currently allocated to the Royal Navy to the Royal Norwegian Navy.”
While the possibility of Norway securing access to UK Type 26 production capacity has long been widely discussed across defence industry circles, this marks the first direct confirmation from the government that such an approach is being actively examined. Pollard added that the Royal Navy’s programme would not be reduced, stating: “The Royal Navy will receive all eight Type 26 ships during the late 2020s and 2030s as planned.”
He described the potential outcome as the creation of a combined Anglo-Norwegian frigate force, stating: “Norway’s biggest ever defence procurement deal will see a combined fleet of 13 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigates, eight British and at least five Norwegian, operate jointly in Northern Europe, significantly strengthening NATO’s northern flank.”
In a separate written answer, Pollard said the Type 26 programme remained on schedule, noting: “The T26 programme remains on track to meet all user requirements and deliver eight world-class anti-submarine warfare frigates to replace the anti-submarine warfare T23s.”
He also linked the programme directly to cooperation with Norway, adding: “All ships are expected to enter service from the late 2020s with the added advantage of working alongside up to six identical Royal Norwegian Navy vessels.”
The minister said the Type 26 would support UK and allied operations in the North Atlantic, describing the ships as a key capability for NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force. “Type 26 Frigates will allow the Royal Navy to continue to play a leading role in the anti-submarine theatre of the North Atlantic,” he said, “providing a crucial output to both NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force.”
In December, we reported that BAE Systems had powered up HMS Glasgow for the first time, enabling the first-in-class frigate to generate its own electricity using onboard diesel generators. The generators form part of the Type 26’s hybrid propulsion architecture and are designed to support the class’s low acoustic signature, a central requirement for anti-submarine warfare operations.
HMS Glasgow is the first of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship class, with the wider programme expected to replace the Royal Navy’s ageing Type 23 anti-submarine warfare frigates through the late 2020s and 2030s.
Stupid beyond belief. We are run by cretins.
HMG of this flavour have their ideology and priorities, and no matter how much they claim to the contrary the evidence is there, industry over military need every single time.
I’m waiting for the usual “the RN continues to meet ALL of its commitments….”
Stupid? do you know how winning naval contracts work?
“At Least 5, Up to 5, maybe now just 3”
Norway seems to be suffering from the same dithering as the UK.
T31 was “At least 5” for a long period, then came T32 which again was up to or at least 5, Bloody heck init !
Because they are rightly prioritising two extra submarines.
Cutting their frigate fleet down to 3 leaves them pretty limited in what they can do on the surface.
I agree, it gives them one blue-water combatant deployable at any one time. It’s not a great move, though I also think the submarine increase is a good idea.
No Surprise what’s so ever. 🙄
Reading the response from officials is painful.
Why are people in the comments shocked. We knew this from day 1 because the contract said Norway will receive the first by 2029. Meaning build slot 3 or 4 will go to them.
Exactly
I’m pleased at the confirmation that the government isn’t using it as an excuse to lower the RN’s complement.
Umm…er…umm…Norway announces a possible reduction in number of T-26s to be acquired, while HMG reiterates a combined programme of thirteen vessels. Something does not quite compute; it must be the New Math. Covert plan to sell any excess T-26s to the Colonials, once USN modded security cutter scheme founders and sinks beneath the NA waves? 🤔😉😁
Being cynical I suspect the US wants as many cheap frigate lookalike warships as it can get to boost perceived overall numbers while saving real money to spend on more visually imposing ships with or without the bang for buck such ships should boast. All about selling the lethality of the fleet to the World and US public. An expensive frigate like the T-26 doesn’t fit that brief, even the reworked Fremm didn’t, so mixed capability it is I reckon to try to square the circle of numbers and capability, just not in the same ships. The voter base won’t notice the deception.
You expect them just say they’re now building 12 because of some rumored proposal? Of course they say it’s 13 ships because that’s what’s announced and contracted at the moment.
How is this being considered? We have the most urgent need to replace our ships. Govt. must accelerate the production of these ships.
It’s being considered because that was the agreed terms of contract when the U.K. and Norway signed off on the deal, it’s not news that one of the current builds would have to go to the, to meet their schedule. As for speeding things up, given the state of the 23s if that was possible it would have already been done.
It absolutely is news to most people. I think most, myself included, have known this was the plan for some time but public confirmation is important.
I agree. I get the wider industrial benefits but oh boy, yet again the military go without as wider industry is prioritised.
Has HMG indicated the RN might get extra assets as a result of the economic benefits?
Nope.
6 Frigates left.
We all knew Hms Belfast (ship 3) was always heading to Norway and possibly Birmingham (ship 4).
No real surprise to be honest
I’m not sure if we do know whether it’s ship three or four. I can’t see it being both.
There has to be a limit to the damage British governments are willing to inflict on the RN.
There isn’t. Nor the British Army, or the RAF. Which is why I won’t vote for any of them.
This was the plan from the start though
Being told prepare for war with Russia is a joke when you read this article,they take long enough to build now.
Their argument will be that the same ships will fight the same enemy. Which is true. But it is a dereliction of duty all the same as industry should never take priority over your military, made worse that we once had an escort force of 35, then 32, then 31, then 27, then 23, then 19, now only 12.
All cuts taken by both Labour and Tories since 1997 that I can detail if needed.
This was always on the cards and is something our neighbouring countries have done to secure foreign sales of their frigates. Customers don’t want to wait 10-15 years for a warship.
I’m comfortable with some of the type 26 frigates going to Norway if that means 5 ships are sold to Norway.
This isn’t necessarily a disaster for the RN if they end up with at least 8 type 26s. I’m hopeful for more, the offset and means to ensure resilience for the RN is to order a revised type 31 batch 2 and get 5 more type 31s with the second batch fitted for ASW warfare, so bow and towed sonar arrays, torpedo defence system (the Italian fremm frigate system is superb) and get them ordered and built pronto…oh wait that does mean HMG will need to publish the much delayed DIP.
I doubt we will see more frigates in the DIP, lets be honest.
Though, this should put to bed the whole ‘they might cancel the last few frigates to save money’ narrative. I’m actually surprised he committed to 8 for the RN, rather than just going ‘But muh DIP’.
Alternating ship builds for Norway and Uk makes good sense . Especially to keep an export customer happy. Norwegian frigstes will be constantly assisting uk and doing same role as uk so a win win for both nations. I am certain since the uk unlikely to expand ship building capacity anytime soon , that the uk should place an order abroad for a build of at least 3 new frigates preferably 6 . This would get uk frigate numbers back on teack . Lack of sailors is a red herring , and excuse not yo have ships. Indonesia and Poland alreasy building T31. And Skorea and Japan seem very efficient ship builders with good off the shelf frigate destroyers. I say do what Austrslia and Norway are doung and get the UK to place a one off order abroad of 3 to 6 frigates while uk shiobuilding catches up . Then once we reach criticsl mass uk shio building should be able to produce at least 2 frigste or destroyers a year for longterm
No? The government will not order warships from abroad, espeically when we are producing them at home, even if they are late. And we can hardly keep up 2 escorts a year longterm, T83 may well be pushed back.
In the NATO context it arguably doesn’t matter whether available escorts are British or Norwegian. If we need escorts for non-NATO operations, e.g. Falklands scenario, then it obviously does matter. I would have thought a competent Defence Secretary would be doing everything within his power to prevent the number of escorts available to RN from dropping even further. But clearly this isn’t something that concerns him at all.
And 8 becomes 5….