RN Frigates: Type 26 City Class

[Pelican]

Insight: How rising tensions have fuelled the Type 26 frigate's development

Slated to enter service in the late 2020s, the Type 26 frigate addresses the pressing need for enhanced ASW capabilities, particularly in light of heightened tensions with Russia. Shephard Defence Insight analyses the design and its equipment fit.

The Type 26 City-class frigate is designed for the UK RN to meet an urgent requirement to replace the existing fleet of ageing Type 23 Duke-class ASW frigates. The Type 26 design is marketed internationally as the Global Combat Ship. It has been selected by the Royal Australian Navy as its Hunter-class frigate and the Royal Canadian Navy for its Canadian Surface Combatant requirement. The first vessel is due to enter service in the late 2020s.

Continues at - https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/nava ... velopment/ - LFT

[Excellent summary]

[Pelican]

Composite mast installed on new frigate HMS Cardiff

The composite mast for the second Type 26 Frigate, HMS Cardiff, has been installed.
The mast from specialist supplier Umoe Mandal in Norway arrived last year.
The mast structures are constructed from military-grade composite materials.

For modules that are installed high up on the vessel structure, using lightweight composite materials instead of steel contribute to enhancing the vessel’s seagoing characteristics, manoeuvrability and operating window. Installing the same structures in steel would require more ballast water to stabilise the vessel.

Continues at - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/composi ... ywqgdIJkzY

[Pelican]

Past meets future as new HMS Glasgow hosts WW2 veteran ack-ack Archie

The past met the future as WW2 veteran Archie Hazledine shared his experiences in HMS Glasgow with crew of the namesake new frigate.

The 98-year-old Royal Marine gunner from Oxford was treated to a VIP tour of the BAE yard in Scotstoun, where the ninth ship named after Scotland’s great industrial city is being fitted out.

Archibald ‘Archie’ Hazledine served in HMS Glasgow No.7, a Town-class cruiser (and sister of HMS Belfast, the museum ship on the Thames), in the closing months of World War 2.
See - https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... ack-archie

[Maybe a repeat or similar with Belfast.]

[Pelican]

Efforts underway to accelerate Type 26 Frigate delivery

The Ministry of Defence has addressed questions about the steps taken to expedite the delivery of the Type 26 frigates to prevent any reduction in the Royal Navy’s frigate numbers.
In a written question, Lord West of Spithead inquired about the actions the government is taking to speed up the Type 26 frigates’ delivery.

Responding to this, Baroness Goldie, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, noted that, “The delivery rate for the Type 26 ships is the optimum that can be achieved considering all relevant factors.”

Four of the Type 26 ships are now being constructed on the Clyde. She further mentioned, “On current plans, HMS GLASGOW is forecast to achieve Initial Operating Capability in 2028 and construction of all eight frigates is expected to be completed by the mid-2030s.”

Continues at - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/efforts ... -delivery/

[Pelican]

Navy Lookout

Worrying to see Type 26 frigate projects in Australia (Hunter class) and Canada (CSC) both receiving increasing criticism from politicians and media.
In both cases, the navies have demanded excessive changes to original design resulting in spiralling costs and delays.

John Ivison: The uncontrolled military program plundering the public purse, desperate for adult attention
Canada’s defence spending is an embarrassment, yet the massively expensive Canadian Surface Combatant program appears to have next to no cost controls.

It is a thought experiment that could just as easily be applied to the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) program — the 15 warships that are set to be built in Halifax but which are already years behind schedule and are massively over budget.
Informed sources suggest one reason for the delays and cost overruns is the amount of contracted changes taking place under the direction of the Canadian Navy.

See - https://nationalpost.com/opinion/ivison ... plundering

ALSO:

Navy firepower boost: Review wants more destroyers, fewer frigates

The navy would receive a major firepower boost through the addition of three heavily armed air warfare destroyers under a plan being considered by the federal government.

Sources briefed on the findings of a review of the navy’s surface fleet, which was delivered to Defence Minister Richard Marles last week, said it had recommended slashing the planned number of Hunter-class frigates from nine to six, as current shipbuilding projects face cost overruns of up to $20 billion.

The Hunter-class frigates have blown out in size and cost since the program was announced in 2018, with critics saying the ships’ lack of missile cells would leave them seriously under-gunned in any conflict.

Continues at - https://amp.smh.com.au/politics/federal ... 5ea0z.html

[Pelican]

BAES Maritime released CGI showing new shipbuilding hall at Govan currently under construction.

170m x 80m - capacity for 2 Type 26 frigates to be constructed side-by-side
2 x 100 and 2 x 20-tonne gantry cranes + can accommodate up to 500 workers per shift.
HMS Birmingham will be 1st ship assembled here.
Video at - https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 3712549348

[Pelican]

BAES Maritime released CGI showing new shipbuilding hall at Govan currently under construction.

170m x 80m - capacity for 2 Type 26 frigates to be constructed side-by-side
2 x 100 and 2 x 20-tonne gantry cranes + can accommodate up to 500 workers per shift.
HMS Birmingham will be 1st ship assembled here.
Video at - https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 3712549348

Work starts on gigantic new hall to build Navy’s Type 26 frigates

https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... 6-frigates

[Pelican]

In focus: delivering the Type 26 Frigates ~ https://www.navylookout.com/in-focus-de ... -frigates/

[Pelican]

HMS Cardiff build progress captured by drone

HMS Cardiff, the second Type 26 City Class frigate, is starting to look the part as the vessel continues construction in Govan, Glasgow.
The ship is undergoing structural work before being floated and transported to BAE Systems’ Scotstoun facility in 2024 for outfitting.

See - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/hms-car ... -by-drone/

[Pelican]

Exclusive drone shots show Glasgow frigate factory progress

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 of today, HMS Cardiff can also be seen. HMS Cardiff will be the last frigate to have its hull sections integrated in the open air on the hardstanding.

See - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/exclusi ... -progress/