The Ministry of Defence has provided a fresh update on the construction of the Royal Navy’s new fleet of Type 26 Global Combat Ships, with five of the eight frigates now under various stages of build on the Clyde.
In a written response to a parliamentary question from Conservative MP James Cartlidge, Minister of State Maria Eagle said the department “continues to work closely with BAE Systems (BAES) to ensure the Type 26 programme remains on track to meet all user requirements and deliver world-class Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) frigates to replace the Type 23.”
The update highlights ongoing progress since the steel-cutting ceremony for HMS Sheffield on 28 November 2024.
HMS Cardiff is now structurally complete and has joined HMS Glasgow in the dry dock at Scotstoun for outfitting. Meanwhile, “unit and block assembly on HMS Belfast and HMS Birmingham continues,” Eagle noted.
HMS Glasgow is expected to reach Initial Operating Capability in 2028. “Construction of all eight frigates [is] expected to be complete by the mid-2030s,” the Minister added.
The Type 26 is designed to provide cutting-edge anti-submarine capability and will eventually replace the ageing Type 23 fleet. The ships are being built by BAE Systems at its Govan and Scotstoun yards in Glasgow, forming a key part of the UK’s long-term naval shipbuilding strategy.
