Drone imagery shows the progress of a massive new ‘frigate factory’ in Glasgow.
The massive facility at Govan represents a huge boost in capability for UK naval shipbuilding.
Here are some drone images showing the progress.
As always, the footage was gathered legally in adherence to UK drone legislation. I'm fully qualified, registered and insured to do this. Shots were taken from the northern bank of the river with zoom. pic.twitter.com/CDJ8VSEw7x
— George Allison (@geoallison) June 5, 2023
For the avoidance of doubt, the drone footage was obtained legally by a qualified person in adherence to UK drone legislation and guidance. In addition, the drone is insured and a flight plan was submitted using drone safety software.
Here’s how the site looked earlier in the year.
Work has started on a huge expansion of the BAE Systems yard at Govan, with excavators currently filling in the old 'wet basin' to make way for a huge new 'frigate factory'. Read more here: https://t.co/uBquNHihd9 pic.twitter.com/zsgdzkX9Lx
— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) February 14, 2023
I previously reported that planning permission had been granted for a huge new shipbuilding hall at the BAE Systems site in Govan, with work on the first ship to be built in the facility starting soon.
It is hoped that Type 26 ships 3 to 8 will be assembled in this facility, with the first two being assembled outdoors.
HMS Glasgow is shown below when she was being put together on the hard standing, adjacent to the wet basin area after she was built in sections in the existing build hall and joined together.
The new drydock/build hall would allow ships to be built indoors, protecting them against the elements and would form part of an effort to modernise the yard to make it more attractive to future orders.
Project Background
In their Govan Assembly Hall planning consultation, BAE say that at present, full ships longer than 75 metres cannot be constructed undercover at Govan, something which is a major constraint to their business.
Shown below is the current arrangement, the ‘SBOH’ is the facility in which ship hull sections are currently built before being moved outside and welded together. According to the consultation:
“As such, BAE Systems intends to develop a new ship building hall which is capable of meeting the United Kingdom’s ship building requirements. This necessitates the construction of a new ship building facility in Govan, one that will allow for at least two ships to be built simultaneously under cover and in single hull format.
The opportunity to provide a new modern ship building hall of this nature would allow BAE Systems to adopt improved shipbuilding techniques together with improved construction access and state of the art, dedicated, on-site office and amenities accommodation.”
The Ship Building Hall and Supporting Accommodation
The firm state that the shipbuilding hall will occupy part of the existing shipyard wet basin and will provide accommodation to allow for at least two ships to be built simultaneously under cover and in single hull format.
In terms of dimensions, the proposed shipbuilding hall will be approximately 81 metres wide, 170 metres long and 49 metres high to the building ridge line. This represents a massive expansion of capabilities and capacity at the yard, as let’s not forget, the original build hall will still be available for use.
Could they technically expand it more into the Clyde when they no longer need to use the RORO quay to launch the current batch of type 26s?
I would assume they need the other (present) sheds to build smaller vessels as and when needed so need that area as they use it today for the barge to launch them. That said is the slip way ever used or could it be used for those potential smaller vessels?
I think its just used for storage now. I suppose they could raise it up and level it out so its the same height as the RORO Quay. I thought they were still going to use the smaller sheds to make blocks and then move the block into the new larger shed to weld them together?
The initial plan was to extend the existing ship module hall (which was built by Kvaerner when they owned the yard in 1989-99) but that ran into difficulty as it would have meant the demolition of the old A-listed engine shops that lie between the SML and Govan Road. Their first attempt at doing that failed (although they were allowed to demolish other listed structures in the yard in the past e.g. the Arrol Giant Cantilever Crane) At that point they abandonned the original plan and decided to run with the current one. Many the engineering investment plans are constrained by compromises, some of which one lives to regret but hopefully not in this case.
Not for the Royal Navy. The MOD have stated that they are not interested in dynamically launched ships (of inclined building ways) in future and that seems to be a growing trend.
Incidentally, the barge is not owned by BAE Systems. It is owned by Malin Augustin, a specialist company who focus in the movement and transport of large structure on land and sea. Malin include the old Henry Abrahams, Company which has bee specialising in delivery of large scale structures and new vessels for over a century.
Well then just make more sheds and get more ships, correct me if I’m wrong but in my opionion we need more Type 34’s. Agree?
Agree. Once the Frigate factory is completed I’m hoping there will be a broad outbreak of common sense in the MOD and HMG and the type 26 order put back up to 10-12 vessels. Having just 8 high end ASW escorts isn’t going to be enough now in peacetime.
With the PLAN proliferating their sub and warship numbers as well as the Ruskfascists being on our doorstep we are going to need more than 8.
Unit price for type 26 has come down as well so we should be able to shoehorn more hills into the programme.
And an acceleration of construction for the agreed 8 given how clapped out the poor old T23’s are!
But yes, even if other vessels can fill all of the RN’s other commitments they need at a minimum 2 ASW frigates available as part of the Carrier Strike Group and 1 for TAPS around the UK. Under normal peacetime conditions that really requires at least 9, preferably 10 vessels when maintenance, training, refits etc are taken into account.
A decision to increase Type 26 orders won’t occur until at least two vessels are in service. My reasoning is based on just how reliable and functional the design will be once in service for at least a few years. The other factor behind an increased order will be just how China develops its global navy? The other option may be to just increase Type 35 hulls as this may be the best use of resources.
With the intention to operate two seperate litoral response groups would each not need an ASW vessel as well as other escort vessels to ensure that a landing wasn’t interrupted by a submarine attack.
The LRG’s could do with all sorts of additions to make them more credible if the Royal Navy had the resources!
But the reality is that support of the Carrier Strike Group and CASD have to be the priorities and there won’t be any T26 left in the cupboard to do much else.
The LSG’s (especially the southern one based out of Oman) will most probably end up with 1 or 2 of the T31/T32’s along with an Albion/Bay/Argus pairing. I guess operating in the littoral shallows and the ability to add Merlin’s or other assets if there was a submarine threat will be viewed as sufficient.
That would be the role of T32 hopefully.
Dream on
Could BAE accelerate the build rate of the T26s further? And get Glasgow and Cardiff in service earlier than planned This would help make up to the earlier than planned loss of T23s (due to old age). In return maybe a third batch of 2 could be ordered? Of course this all depends on money, but long term it might actually be more economical than keeping the T23s goinglonger.
Like most things in Defence it is all down to money and how it is spent. The contract will have been designed to deliver 3 Frigates over a certain number of years and paid for in instalments, same with the 2nd batch of 5.
I’m sure BAe would snap the governments hand off if more money was made available to accelerate the present builds. But without an icreased order they would be insisting on guarants of work or financila compensation to avoid shutting the yard.
As it stands the National shipbuilding strategy is designed to ensure continuity of work to avoid the “Boom & Bust” fiascos that got us into this mess in the 1st place.
We are all well aware of what happened when HMG tinkered with ship buiding schedules or robbed Peter to pay Paul.
We cancelled the last 2 T45’s to pay for the CV’s, the government had to order 5 extra OPV’s at an inflated increased cost to bridge the gap.
Then the T26 class was cut form 13 to 8 due to budget squeeze and the build schedule slowed down to fill the resulting build schedule. At an increased cost.
The next class due to be built are the T83 and will follow on from T26 builds. So do you bring that forward to avoid a gap or buy some more expensive OPVs as a way to fill the gap ?
And if you did do that then what after the T83 ? You don’t need any more frigates as the T26 / T31 will only be at mid life.
Realistically do we stick with the build schedule as is and accept the gap in numbers caused by T23 expiring, which is pretty unacceptable.
Or does HMG stump up for more T26 to fill the production gap caused be an acceleration of the build schedule.
I’d love it if they canned the T32 entirely and added 4 extra T26 and then order the 8 DD’s we should have had in the 1st place.
I look at what Germany, France, Italy and Poland are doing and just wonder when is our Government actually going to wake up and spend (borrow) a heap of cash to uplift to defence spending where it needs to be.
Defence bonds sold to private investors just like we did in WW1 and WW2 rather than investment banks or pension funds.
Thanks for your detailed reply my thoughts are similar. I guess I was wondering if there was slack in the budget if refits didn’t happen. But seriously we do need an increase in the budget. Like you I would prefer additional T26 x2 and T31 x3 (improved spec) over the T32.
It just goes to show that if you treat BAE right, they invest in your country, develop shipbuilding skills and build you wonderful boats like Astute.
If you don’t you end up with a crock of shite like Ajax instead of something really good like the CV90
Is that with or without sheared off bolt heads superglued back on ? There have been mistakes a plenty in the defence space going back donkeys years. Making BAE into some sort of paragons does no one any favours.?
TBH BAe were treated very well, they had zero competition and a minimum work agreement with the government. The reality is its competition from another frigate factory that has pushed BAe to invest.
Competition is basically good but you do need the numbers to make it work. I’m sure BAE will be building the T83 Destroyers now they have invested in the yard to build them under cover.
And why does it need to be only UK orders making up the numbers
Pity they could not have expanded into those buildings at the rear, they could have 225m or so length available.
Amazing what introducing a bit of competition in the UK market does. No surprise that this comes hot after Babcock building their own new hall over at Rosyth
Look like they won’t be able to get large block form the old shed to the new so I assume if the any of the T26 are beyond certain buiild point they will be finish outside
I would like to see more commercial ship manufacturing comeback as well as military.
Yes they could build the Charles IV class Ferries.