The total number of warships being built in Scottish shipyards between 2015 to 2035 now stands at 24, with many of those ships now being built and some already in service.
In addition to the now built 5 Offshore Patrol Vessels, there are plans for 8 Type 26 Frigates, 5 Type 31 Frigates, 5 Type 32 Frigates, and 1 Ukrainian warship to be built in Scotland.
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A Ukrainian warship?
Ukraine previously signed a memorandum with the UK to secure £1.25 billion in funding to build new military vessels for the Ukrainian Navy, the first ship will be constructed in the UK and the remaining 7 vessels will be built in Ukraine.
Type 32?
The new Type 32 Frigate will be built in addition to the Type 26 and Type 31 Frigates in the hopes of bringing the escort fleet up to 24 vessels from its current 19. The Defence Secretary previously confirmed that Rosyth will be building more vessels than previously planned, with the Type 32 Frigate going into built at the yard after the Type 31 Frigate build finishes.
Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, recently stated that Rosyth would be building Tytpe 32 Frigates in addition to Type 31 Frigates.
“We are committed to building the Type 26 in the United Kingdom; it is under construction on the Clyde. In Rosyth, work is ongoing to build the facility needed to build the Type 31s and the subsequent Type 32s. He also knows that I recently recategorised the future Fleet Solid Support ship as a warship. I intend to make sure that, if not entirely, there is a considerable degree of UK build in that process, subject to tender. I have to be cautious about the contract, because the competition is to begin soon—very soon.”
According to the recently released ‘Defence Command Paper’, the Type 32 frigates will be designed to protect territorial waters, to provide persistent presence overseas and to support Littoral Response Groups.
The first mention of a new Type 32 frigate came in the Prime Minister’s 19 November statement. He said: “We are going to develop the next generation of warships, including multi-role research vessels and Type 32 frigates.”
The Defence Command Paper, titled ‘Defence in a Competitive Age’, describes the planned programme:
“Type 32 frigates, designed to protect territorial waters, provide persistent presence overseas and support our Littoral Response Groups.”
I thought there was to be “up to” five Type 32s, with no commitment yet made to a final number. The refreshed National Shipbuilding Strategy only shows one being built followed by a decision point.
If there has been a more recent announcement confirming that all five will be built and at the same rate as the Type 31s, I’d love a link, please.
Also, I think there are only 18 escorts since Monmouth was decommissioned last summer, rather than the 19 mentioned in the article.
I would hope more than one will be built. Really the U.K. could do with keeping the 2 yards pumping out escorts for the next 15 years. 10 type 31 would be a good use of resources. The design is flexible so could have a bigger gun, VLS etc etc.
I’m still not sure what the type 32 is going to be and if it will do the escort role or be a stand alone unmanned asset deployer.
There are not 19 escorts. There are 18, soon to be 17. To get to the aspired 24 we will have to see an uplift in recruitment and retention.
This is soo old!
24 Warships by 2035… who for?