STS Defence has produced the first communications masts for the Royal Navy’s future Type 26 Frigates.
Last week, a significant milestone was achieved as STS Defence, the Design Authority for the masts, presented and led the structural factory acceptance test of the first twin masts, in the presence of the Type 26 Prime Contractors, BAE Systems and MoD, alongside Rohde & Schwarz, Mainstay and Lloyds Register.
STS Defence’s Managing Director, Jonathan Bowley commented on the progress of the project, “to successfully pass the acceptance test of such a prominent and important element of the Type 26 production on time, is a major achievement for all those involved and sets the tone for the continued success of the programme.”
The company says that the contract followed the successful completion of scoping, risk reduction and detailed design studies, leading to Lloyds Certification supported by Longitude Consulting Engineers of Southampton.
The masts will support a range of antennas providing line of sight communications across a range of frequency bands. Special isolation screens, manufactured from composite materials by Jeremy Roberts Ltd in Lymington will provide isolation between the different frequency bands, say STS Defence.
The mast structures will be manufactured and assembled by Mainstay Marine Solutions Ltd in Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire.
Looks like bits of half finished Lego.
Big thumbs up to the team. Now put them in storage , reading the hull build time scales it’s going to be a while before these can be fitted
i Hope the UK gets some build work from the 2 other partner nations on the type 26.
3 production lines and many shared components, i hope it reduces the cost, build times and risks.
Britain will make plenty of money selling components such as engines, electric drive systems, sonars and other bits and pieces.