Minister for Defence Procurement Alex Chalk attended the ceremony to officially begin construction on the future HMS Birmingham (F91) at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard in Glasgow.
Construction begins on Royal Navy’s fourth Type 26 frigate – HMS Birmingham (F91)
The steel cut, marking the official start of build on the fourth of eight Type 26 frigates, was carried out by apprentice burner, Ciaran Baillie, accompanied by fabricator – plater Jamie Finnegan.
All of the Royal Navy vessels will be built by BAE Systems on the Clyde, sustaining around 1,700 jobs in Scotland and 4,000 jobs in total across the wider UK maritime supply chain. BAE Systems plans to recruit a further 400 trades people and 200 apprentices for the programme in 2023.
Work on the first three Type 26 ships is well under way with HMS Glasgow (F88) now at BAE Systems’ Scotstoun shipyard to have her complex systems installed, HMS Cardiff (F89) currently being assembled and HMS Belfast (F90) in its early construction phase. HMS Birmingham (F91) is the first ship to be constructed under a £4.2bn contract for the remaining five ships secured in November, which reflects the Ministry of Defence’s confidence in the programme.
«This is yet another significant milestone for the Type 26 programme, supporting thousands of jobs in Scotland and across the wider UK supply chain. Working closely with our industry partners, we are bringing in a cutting-edge class of warships for the Royal Navy, bolstering our maritime capabilities into the coming decades», said Alex Chalk KC, Minister for Defence Procurement.
«This is another proud moment for our talented teams across the UK who have played a part in the design and construction of these important vessels. HMS Birmingham will benefit from a range of investments that will transform our digital and physical infrastructure and consolidate a centre of excellence for shipbuilding skills here in the UK. Alongside my teams I’d like to thank our customers and suppliers for their expertise and commitment as we take this programme forward and deliver the next generation City Class frigates for the Royal Navy», said Simon Lister, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Naval Ships business.
The Type 26 is one of the world’s most advanced warships. It is designed for anti-submarine warfare and high-intensity air defence, but can adapt its role quickly to transport high volumes of humanitarian aid and house medical facilities.
The programme is a UK-wide endeavour, with more than 120 British suppliers securing contracts supporting the frigates, including for steering gears in Dunfermline, gas turbines in Filton and maritime LED lighting in Cumbria.
BAE Systems is investing approximately £15m in a new Applied Shipbuilding Academy in Glasgow to support the development of the entire workforce, from apprentices through to senior leaders. In addition, construction has begun on a modern shipbuilding hall worth more than £100m, which will greatly enhance productivity on the Clyde to support the delivery of these eight ships and future orders.
The Commonwealths of Australia and Canada have selected the Type 26 design, which, together with the UK, provide an anticipated 32-ship programme across the three nations. Sharing build and transition into service lessons across all three programmes will benefit all parties in this multinational effort.
On 29 March 2023, the first of the twelve mine countermeasure vessels of the Belgian-Dutch rMCM programme, the M940 Oostende intended for the Belgian Navy, was floated out in Concarneau. The launching ceremony took place in the presence of Ludivine Dedonder, Belgian Minister of Defence, Kajsa Ollongren, Dutch Minister of Defence, and Patricia Mirallès, French Secretary of State for Veterans and Memory. During this day, Naval Group also laid the keel for the third of the twelve vessels, the M941 Tournai, intended for the Belgian Navy.
Naval Group launches the first mine countermeasure vessel of the Belgian-Dutch rMCM programme and lays the keel for the third one
This programme was awarded in 2019 to Belgium Naval & Robotics, the consortium formed by Naval Group and Exail, following an international competition. It provides for the supply to the Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy of twelve mine countermeasures vessels and around a hundred drones integrated inside a toolbox that will equip the vessels.
The first delivery is scheduled for the end of 2024 in Zeebrugge, Belgium. Deliveries will then be staggered until 2030.
Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group said: «I am very pleased to be present here in Concarneau at our Piriou partner shipyard, alongside Exail, to celebrate the progress of this unique programme which is the story of a shared vision for the future of mine warfare and European naval defence. We are working together to develop this game-changing defence solution that will serve Belgian and Dutch sovereignty and prepare the future of mine countermeasures in the naval domain».
Ludivine Dedonder, Belgian Minister of defence stated: «In a world in full swing due to geopolitical upheavals, our cooperation is all the more strategic. The operational concept developed by the Belgian and Dutch navies is a world first and revolutionary in several ways. This project, whose first ship is launching today, shows that cooperation, solidarity and innovation are key values for our common security. With this renewal programme for our mine countermeasure capabilities, we can be proud of our contribution to defence innovation, to face the security challenges of our time together».
A unique industrial and European partnership
Naval Group, as overall architect and prime contractor, is responsible for the design of the ships, the overall integration, and the testing and commissioning of the mission system (combat system and mine countermeasures system). Kership, a joint venture between Naval Group and Piriou, is in charge of the production of the twelve vessels which are assembled in Concarneau and Lanester. Exail Robotics, as co-contractor, is in charge of the unmanned drones’ system. Most of these drones will be produced in Exailfactory (Ostend, Belgium). The maintenance of the ships will be carried out in Belgium in close collaboration between the Belgian Navy and Naval Group Belgium, with the assistance of its partner Flanders Ship Repair.
The rMCM programme is also a major element of European Defence. This programme demonstrates that European countries can work together to define their needs and share a solution that is destined to become a reference in the mine countermeasures field, not only for the Belgian and Dutch navies, but also for other navies in Europe and around the world.
Lieutenant commander (1LV) Renauld Hock, head of the binational programme: «Today, we celebrate both the launch of the M940 Oostende, first ship of the City Class, and the keel laying of the M941 Tournai, third of the city class and second Belgian vessel. These were two important milestones in our binational rMCM programme. From now on, it is an all hands on deck approach, a new ship will be launched approximately every six months, the first Dutch vessel being scheduled for this autumn. The building of platforms number 3 and 4 has also begun. Moreover, this year we plan the setting-to-work of the first vessel and the tests of the toolbox, the toolbox being essential to this new rMCM capacity. Belgium and the Netherlands are convinced that the City Class is the best way forward in Naval Mine Warfare: true system-of-unmanned-systems which will pave the way for all modern navies».
Belgium, an industrial center of excellence for Naval Group and Exail in mine countermeasures
Within the framework of this strategic partnership, Naval Group and Exail are developing their presence in Belgium through dedicated structures, Naval Group Belgium and Exail Belgium. Belgian industry’s added value is maximized through the rMCM programme, starting from the design, development and operational support phases, notably through procurement and subcontracting operations with Belgian companies on critical ship equipment. As an example, Exail Belgium will develop, produce, assemble and qualify the toolbox in Belgium.
The involvement of the Belgian industry in the programme also concerns R&D projects carried out in Belgium to prepare the future of mine countermeasures. On April 28th 2022, Naval Group inaugurated the MCM Lab and the Cyber Lab, two collaborative R&D laboratories created within its subsidiary Naval Group Belgium. The Labs bring together Belgian institutional, industrial and academic partners to develop tomorrow’s innovations in the field of mine countermeasures and cyber security.
A resilient vessel and a latest generation toolbox
These specialised and cyber secured by design mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels are the first to have the capability to embark and launch a combination of surface drones (themselves 12-metre/39-foot, 18-tonne vessels), underwater drones and aerial drones. The mine countermeasures vessels will use a mainly autonomous system for detection, classification and neutralisation of mines. They can withstand underwater explosions and have very low acoustic, electrical and magnetic signatures, in line with the missions to be carried out.
The solution acquired by the Belgian and Dutch navies is a complete paradigm shift in the way mines are fought by adopting a remote position (stand-off) which reduces the risk for personnel and the mothership and allows a substantial increase in the speed of coverage of mined areas.
These mine countermeasure vessels have the following characteristics:
The first Type 26 City Class frigate, HMS Glasgow, has begun the float off process, which will see her enter the water for the first time.
First Type 26 Frigate to enter the water for the first time
Over the coming days, the ship, currently weighing nearly 6,000 tonnes, will undertake a series of complex manoeuvres that will move her from the BAE Systems Govan shipyard, onto a barge before being towed down river to a deep-water location in the West of Scotland.
Once in position, the float off will involve the base of the barge being slowly submerged over a number of hours until HMS Glasgow fully enters the water. She will then return to BAE Systems’ Scotstoun shipyard further along the Clyde, where she will undergo the next stages of outfit before test and commissioning.
Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Defence, said: «HMS Glasgow entering the water for the first time marks a major milestone for the Type 26 programme which supports thousands of highly skilled jobs in Scotland and more across the wider UK supply chain. We’re continuing to invest in the British shipbuilding industry to maintain the Royal Navy’s cutting-edge ability to defend our nation, while strengthening our partnership with allies».
David Shepherd, Type 26 Programme Director, BAE Systems, said: «Seeing HMS Glasgow in the water for the first time will be a proud and exciting moment for the thousands of people involved in this great endeavour. She will soon transfer to our Scotstoun yard in Glasgow where we look forward to installing her complex systems and bringing her to life».
The BAE Systems engineers involved in the float off of HMS Glasgow have been specially trained using the 3D visualisation suite which gives engineers access to a full digital twin of the ship. They will monitor the ship closely throughout all stages of the process ensuring that the transition is safely managed. The float off process will also be supported by engineers from Defence Equipment & Support, the MOD delivery agent, as well as members of the Royal Navy.
The float off process is a more modern, efficient and low risk way for a ship to enter the water compared to the previous dynamic launches. The process is well proven, having been used for the five Offshore Patrol Vessels built by BAE Systems in Glasgow, the last of which was delivered to the Royal Navy in 2020.
HMS Glasgow has been under construction since steel was cut in 2017. The second and third ships, HMS Cardiff and HMS Belfast, are currently in build in Govan. The build process for each ship involves its structure being completed in Govan; skilled teams of fabricators and steelworkers construct the units before they are assembled into the forward and aft blocks which are joined together before the ship departs. In Scotstoun, the ship’s outfit is completed and the complex systems are set to work before test and commissioning takes place. HMS GLASGOW will be delivered to the Royal Navy in the mid-2020s.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Defence awarded BAE Systems a £4.2 billion contract to build a further five Type 26 City Class frigates for the Royal Navy, sustaining 4,000 jobs across BAE Systems and the wider UK maritime supply chain.
The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a £4.2 bn contract to BAE Systems to manufacture the next five City Class Type 26 frigates for the Royal Navy in Glasgow.
BAE Systems awarded £4.2 bn contract to build five more Type 26 frigates in Glasgow
The contract sustains more than 4,000 jobs across BAE Systems and the wider UK maritime supply chain. It also secures shipbuilding at BAE Systems’ facilities in Scotland into the 2030s. Up to £1.8 bn of the new order will be spent in the supply chain, including £1.2 bn with UK suppliers.
The Type 26 is one of the world’s most advanced warships. It is designed for anti-submarine warfare and high-intensity air defence, but can adapt its role quickly to transport high volumes of humanitarian aid and house medical facilities.
Three Type 26 ships are already in build in Glasgow, with the first of class, HMS Glasgow (F88), on track to enter the water later this year and be delivered to the Royal Navy in the mid-2020s. The construction of HMS Cardiff (F89) and HMS Belfast (F90) is also underway.
«We are investing in our fleet to ensure our Royal Navy maintains its world-leading capability to protect and defend our nation at sea. This design has already been successfully exported to Australia and Canada, proving itself as a world-class maritime capability, securing thousands of UK jobs and strengthening alliances with our allies. Supporting thousands of high-skilled jobs in Scotland, and more across the wider UK supply chain, this contract will continue to boost our British shipbuilding industry, galvanising the very best of British engineering, manufacturing and design», said Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Defence.
«This contract secures a critical UK industry and allows us to build on our long history of shipbuilding on the Clyde as we continue to deliver cutting-edge equipment to the Royal Navy into the next decade. It underpins the ongoing investments we’re making in the skills, infrastructure and technologies needed to stay at the forefront of the maritime sector and to support the UK Government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy», said Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive, BAE Systems.
The Type 26 programme is a UK-wide endeavour, with more than 120 UK suppliers having already secured contracts linked to the new batch of frigates, including for steering gears in Dunfermline, gas turbines in Filton and maritime LED lighting in Cumbria.
This year, 180 new apprentices joined the 400 already working at BAE Systems on the Type 26 programme. BAE Systems’ Naval Ships business employs 4,500 people across the UK and is recruiting a further 400 trades people as the programme continues to ramp up.
The Company is investing approximately £15 m in a new Applied Shipbuilding Academy in Glasgow to support the development of the entire workforce, from apprentices through to senior leaders. In addition, BAE Systems has applied for planning consent to start construction on a new shipbuilding hall worth more than £100 m to greatly enhance productivity on the Clyde to support the delivery of these eight ships and future orders.
The Commonwealths of Australia and Canada have selected the Type 26 design, which, together with the UK, provide an anticipated 32 ship programme across the three nations. Sharing build and transition into service lessons across all three programmes will benefit all parties in this multinational effort.
In a steel cut ceremony at BAE Systems’ shipyard in Glasgow, His Royal Highness, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, set the plasma cutting machine to work on the first plate of steel for the third Type 26 frigate, HMS Belfast.
HRH Prince William starts construction on the UK’s third Type 26 frigate for the Royal Navy
Minister of State for Defence Baroness Goldie, together with employees and representatives from the Scottish Government, Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence, joined the celebrations.
The event marks an important step in the programme to deliver the UK’s latest anti-submarine warfare capability to the Royal Navy, with all three of the first batch of City Class frigates now under construction. The UK-sourced steel plate will form part of a unit which will contain the machinery space for the gearbox and stabilisers of HMS Belfast.
In recent weeks the first of class, HMS Glasgow, was rolled out of the build hall into the open for the first time, while progress on HMS Cardiff continues at pace, with more than 40% of the ship’s units in build at the Company’s Govan shipyard.
Led by electrical apprentice, Cara Shannon, and Type 26 Programme Director, David Shepherd, the Duke of Cambridge enjoyed a tour of HMS Glasgow during his visit, meeting employees in the ship’s operations room and flight deck.
Minister of State for Defence Baroness Goldie, said: «Today is a significant milestone for the exciting new Type 26 frigate programme and for Defence. We celebrate and receive great support from our UK shipyards. As a Scot, I am very proud of the skills and expertise of our Scottish shipbuilders here on the Clyde. These new frigates will be equipped with the most advanced capabilities and technologies, enabling the Royal Navy to counter emerging global threats for decades to come».
Rear Admiral Paul Marshall, Director Navy Acquisition, said: «It’s been a privilege to witness this important moment in the life of our third Type 26 frigate and I’m delighted that His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge was able to come here today to cut the first steel for the future HMS Belfast. Despite the obstacles of the past year, BAE Systems’ workforce has continued to deliver what will be a world-leading maritime capability that will join an innovative and forward-looking Royal Navy. We are very proud to work closely with industry to realise the immense opportunity that these ships offer to our growing maritime ambition, our international partners and to the whole of the United Kingdom».
Defence Equipment and Support Director General Ships, Vice Admiral Christopher Gardner, said: «Standing in the shadow of HMS Glasgow which has been brought together on the hardstanding, with large parts of HMS Cardiff in construction around us, today’s steel cut for HMS Belfast is another significant milestone in the delivery of the eight-ship Type 26 class, itself part of the wider Global Combat Ship endeavour that we are part of along with Australia and Canada. This is a proud moment for everyone who has worked so hard on this strategic national programme, which sustains thousands of jobs across the United Kingdom and harnesses all of our skills and knowledge to produce the best possible ships for the Royal Navy».
Simon Lister, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Naval Ships business, said: «It’s a great honour to welcome the Duke of Cambridge to our facilities here in Glasgow to join our colleagues and guests on this very proud day. The world-class skills and expertise demonstrated by our teams and suppliers right across the UK play a critical role in delivering this vital advanced capability to the Royal Navy. The City Class frigates are at the pinnacle of complex warship capability and, together with our teams, I look forward to seeing the progress of all three ships».
The Type 26 frigate is an advanced anti-submarine warship which will deliver critical protection of the Royal Navy’s Continuous At Sea Deterrent and Carrier Strike Group. Each Type 26 will be equipped with a range of world-class capabilities including the Sea Ceptor missile defence system, a 5-inch/127-mm medium calibre gun, flexible mission bay, Artisan 997 Medium Range Radar and towed array sonar. The flight deck will be able to accommodate helicopters up to the size of a Chinook, while the mission bay can quickly adapt to house containers and deploy manned or unmanned vessels and vehicles.
Type 26 has been designed to reduce environmental impacts, with features including a hydrodynamically designed hull to optimise fuel efficiency and an advanced anti-fouling coating, which prevents marine growth and stops the transfer of invasive species on the hull. Each ship will also benefit from diesel engine emissions abatement, which reduces nitrogen oxide exhaust emissions and a waste water treatment system, which treats all ship effluent prior to discharge into the sea. Furthermore, it is envisaged that as new technologies become available, there will be potential opportunities for Type 26 to further mitigate its environmental impact.
Supporting more than 4,000 jobs across the UK, the Type 26 programme is making a significant contribution to the nation’s economic recovery by maintaining much-needed skills and capabilities. To date, more than £1bn has been invested across the programme’s supply chain, with more than 100 suppliers globally.
The Global Combat Ship supports a close partnership between the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, supporting greater operational, training and intelligence ties. In total, the UK, Australian and Canadian Navies will operate 32 anti-submarine warfare frigates, all based on the Type 26 reference design.
The aft block of HMS Glasgow, the first City Class Type 26 frigate being built for the Royal Navy, has been rolled out of the build hall to join the forward block at our BAE Systems shipyard on the River Clyde.
HMS Glasgow blocks come together for first time
In a busy period for HMS Glasgow, teams at our Govan shipyard prepared and completed a series of complex manoeuvres to bring the aft block out of the ship block and outfit hall and into position to meet the forward block. This significant moment brings the two blocks together, and for the first time the full size, scale and the elegant lines of HMS Glasgow are out in the open.
The aft block contains the versatile mission bay and hangar which is capable of supporting helicopters, boats, mission loads and disaster relief stores, while the flight deck is capable of landing a Chinook helicopter for transport of embarked forces.
HMS Glasgow is the first in a new generation of cutting-edge Type 26 frigates, designed and built in her namesake city. The Type 26 programme supports more than 4,000 jobs across the UK, making a significant contribution to the nation’s economic recovery by maintaining much-needed skills and capabilities.
The Type 26 is the original variant of BAE Systems’ Global Combat Ship, which Australia and Canada have both selected as the reference design for their anti-submarine frigate programmes, supporting greater operational, training and intelligence ties between the three nations.
This is the first of the Navy’s next-generation frigates, gradually taking shape in a huge shed on the Clyde.
HMS Glasgow begins to take shape
This is HMS Glasgow, the lead ship in the new City-class, successor to the workhorse of today’s Fleet, the Duke-class Type 23 frigates.
Eight of these Type 26 ships will replace the «souped-up» submarine-hunting variant of the 23s (those equipped with Sonar 2187 – the towed array streamed from the quarterdeck) from the middle of next decade. (The five general purpose 23s, such as HMS Montrose, will be superseded by the Type 31e frigate which is still at the design stage.)
Work has been under way on the £1.2bn warship since mid-July 2017 at BAE Systems’ yard in Govan.
She’ll comprise more than 60 blocks in her finished form, with all but half a dozen of those giant segments in place by the end of next year.
The size of the vessel and the Govan shed means the ship will be pieced together in two huge sections: first the forward part of the frigate, followed by the stern.
Once the two parts are joined on the slipway outside the shed, the main mast and bridge section will be lifted into place and the mostly-complete frigate will be taken downstream for fitting out at BAE’s yard on the north bank of the Clyde at Scotstoun.
All of which is a couple of years off. For now, Vice Admiral Chris Gardner wanted to see how far Glasgow had progressed in his new role as Chief of Materiel (Ships) at the Defence Equipment and Support organisation – the arm of the MOD which oversees new projects and programmes and provides engineering and technical support to existing military kit.
«You can now stand inside a Type 26 as the zones come together and get a real sense of HMS Glasgow as she takes shape», he said.
Three ships have been ordered from BAE: Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast, while the remaining five vessels in the class have been named: Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Edinburgh and finally London.
The admiral also dropped in on «mega Medway» – No.2 of five new RN patrol ships – which is about to sail from Scotstoun on her second period of trials; all five vessels have been built in Glasgow, four are in the water and one, HMS Forth, is in Royal Navy hands.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has announced HMS Edinburgh as the name of a cutting-edge British warship on the eve of St Andrew’s Day.
New frigate named HMS Edinburgh
The submarine-hunting state-of-the-art frigate builds on the city’s proud naval history and is the seventh warship to carry the name.
And as the eighth frigate to be named in the future Type 26 fleet, Edinburgh will be built on the Clyde as part of a £3.7bn programme that will sustain 4,000 jobs. HMS Edinburgh will be at the forefront of the nation’s world-leading navy, providing unrivalled capability at sea.
The Defence Secretary marked the announcement with Councillor Jason Rust, Bailie for the Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh at the Nelson Monument and museum on Edinburgh’s Calton Hill.
Speaking during a visit to Edinburgh, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: «The new HMS Edinburgh is a symbol of the United Kingdom’s future global ambition, but also the important role Scotland plays in shipbuilding and the national security of our country. Her cutting-edge capabilities will ensure that the UK remains a world-leader at sea, protecting our national interests and promoting global peace. Built on more than 300 years of proud naval history, HMS Edinburgh will play a crucial role in defending our nation for decades to come».
The Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Frank Ross, said: «The last HMS Edinburgh famously retired from the Royal Navy’s fleet in 2013. Five years later, we are thrilled a new ship will be named in the city’s honour. Built on centuries of history, she will be the seventh ship to carry the HMS Edinburgh title. It will be a truly Scottish ship – built on the Clyde – and I hope she will visit us in the Port of Leith on her maiden voyage when the time comes. We’ve always enjoyed strong ties with the Royal Navy and the many hundreds of personnel who have served aboard the HMS Edinburgh vessels over the years. I’m sure the new ship will reinforce this bond».
The first ship to carry the name HMS Edinburgh was a fifth-rate ship, which was transferred into the Royal Navy in 1707. The last was a Type 42 destroyer, which was decommissioned in 2013 after deployments to the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the Baltic, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf.
Royal Navy ships carrying the name Edinburgh have won nine battle honours between them, with five being awarded during the Second World War.
Scotland is already crucial to the United Kingdom’s defence capabilities, being home to the RAF’s Quick Reaction Alert interceptors and submarine-hunting Maritime Patrol Aircraft flying from Lossiemouth, and soon to the be home to the entire Royal Navy Submarine Service from 2020.
More than 10,000 sailors, soldiers and air personnel are also living permanently in Scotland, supported by 8,000 reservists and civilians.
Meanwhile, the Scottish industry benefits from £1.59bn of defence spending every year – supporting 10,500 private sector jobs – and just last year the Defence Board confirmed £1.7 billion would be invested to upgrade Scottish military bases over the next decade.
All the Type 26 frigates will be built on the Clyde, supported by suppliers across the country and securing decades of work for more than 4,000 people. The first three ships, HMS Glasgow, HMS Cardiff and HMS Belfast, have already been ordered for £3.7bn. HMS Edinburgh will join HMS Birmingham, HMS Sheffield, HMS Newcastle and HMS London as part of the second batch of Type 26 warships.
The first Type 26 warship, HMS Glasgow, will enter service in the mid-2020s.
