Total 32 Vessels Anticipated for UK, Australia and Canada
The MoD in London has authorised BAE Systems to build the next five City-class Type 26 frigates under a £4.2 billion ($4.97 billion) contract, securing over 4,000 jobs across the company and its supply chain.
Designed for ASW and high-intensity air defence, the Type 26 design is rapidly adaptable. Three vessels for the Royal Navy are already under construction in Glasgow, with the first, HMS Glasgow, scheduled for launch by the end of the year and delivery in the mid-2020s.
“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,” commented Chief Executive, Charles Woodburn.
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. The contract secures shipbuilding at BAE Systems’ Scottish facilities into the 2030s: the company will spend up to £1.8 billion within its supply chain, including £1.2 billion with UK suppliers. Australia and Canada have also selected the design, with an anticipated 32 ships to be built for the three nations. Sharing build and transition into service lessons across all three programmes will benefit all parties in this multinational effort.
