HMS Cardiff, the Royal Navy’s second Type 26 frigate, has passed another construction milestone with the installation of its anchor chains, according to BAE Systems.
The company said teams from operations, shipbuilding, commissioning and engineering worked together to prepare the ship’s chain lockers before fitting the cables, a necessary step to ensure the system can safely support the vessel’s anchors.
With the chains now installed, work will move on to load testing the windlass system, which is used to raise and lower the anchors and must be verified before the ship enters later stages of outfitting. The milestone marks continued progress in the build of HMS Cardiff, which is currently being fitted out at BAE Systems’ Scotstoun yard on the River Clyde following its launch in September 2024.
HMS Cardiff is the second of eight Type 26 frigates being built for the Royal Navy to replace the ageing Type 23 fleet. The programme began with HMS Glasgow, while HMS Belfast is due to follow as the third ship in the class.
Momentum is building as HMS Cardiff is looking ship shape ⚓
The successful installation of the Type 26’s anchor chains is a huge win for our Operations, Shipwrights, Commissioning, and Engineering teams. Working side-by-side, they prepared both chain lockers, a critical safety… pic.twitter.com/qpcXt7I7FU— BAE Systems Maritime (@BAES_Maritime) March 26, 2026
Designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, the Type 26 class will also undertake air defence and general-purpose missions, forming a core part of the Royal Navy’s future surface fleet. The ships will be equipped with the Sea Ceptor air defence system and a 24-cell Mk 41 vertical launch system capable of firing a range of weapons, alongside advanced sonar systems including the Type 2087 towed array.
With a displacement of over 8,000 tonnes at full load and a range exceeding 7,000 nautical miles, the class is designed for global operations and sustained deployments, supported by a large mission bay and facilities for helicopters and uncrewed systems.
BAE Systems said progress on Cardiff reflects ongoing momentum in the programme as the UK continues to regenerate its complex warship building capability on the Clyde.
Interestingly the ship doesn’t even seem to have covered holes prepared for mk41, just a steel deck. Perhaps we shouldn’t worry so much about spotting what the deck arrangements are at this stage on T31, or instead panic that the T26s won’t get mk41.
They’ve been ordered, so we know at least three of the upcoming RN frigates will receive at least 24 cells.
I’ve just looked up the photos of Glasgow at the same time, and I don’t think she had the deck holes either.
And yet when Active got rolled out and when it was floated off everyone was craning to have a look at the VLS tub and see how many holes in the deck there were. Realistically Babcock could put in anything they like even at this late stage.
Don’t think labour want any armed forces
I’m glad she has anchor chains. It’ll be handy if she spends most of her life alongside.🙃🤔