Rolls Royce has been awarded two contract by BAE Systems in the context of the UK Royal Navy’s new Type 26 Global Combat Ship: one contract for the delivery of low-noise propellers and one for the supply of mission bay handling technologies. The contracts will cover the first three ships, with the first-in-class currently being built at the BAE Systems shipyard in Glasgow.

Each ship will feature two Rolls-Royce fixed bolted propellers, designed for extremely low underwater-radiated noise, suited to the ships’ key role of anti-submarine warfare. The mission bay handling system, including a launch and recovery capability, will enable efficient movement of craft and containerised mission packages that will be the key feature of the ships’ modularity and flexibility.

Nadia Savage, BAE Systems Type 26 Programme Director said: “The Type 26 Global Combat Ship is a next generation anti-submarine platform that will provide great flexibility and agility for the Royal Navy. With Rolls-Royce contracted to supply the low-noise propellers and mission bay technologies, these vessels will have the highest standards of capability and adaptability that the Royal Navy needs to continue to protect UK national interests. Manufacture of GLASGOW, the first of the three contracted City Class Type 26s for the Royal Navy, is progressing well in Glasgow, and these contracts are further evidence of the great momentum that is driving this project forward.”