BAE Systems has inaugurated a new advanced assembly hall at its Govan facility in Glasgow, which the company says will transform the way warships are designed and built.
The facility is named after Janet Harvey, a woman who played critical industrial role during the World War II.
Spanning 170 metres (m) in length and 80m in width, the assembly hall is equipped with a pair of cranes capable of lifting 100 tonnes (t) each, along with an additional two cranes with a 20t capacity.
Janet Harvey Hall is “large enough” to accommodate the construction of two Type 26 frigates concurrently and “shielded” from the Glaswegian weather.
Presently, the HMS Belfast and HMS Birmingham are being assembled within this space, while the HMS Glasgow and HMS Cardiff undergo outfitting at the Scotstoun site, also part of BAE Systems’ operations on the River Clyde.
In addition, steel cutting has commenced on HMS Sheffield, the company noted.
The facility can support up to 500 workers per shift and enhance BAE Systems’ shipbuilding capabilities by allowing for the complete indoor construction of warships in Glasgow.
The new opening is part of BAE Systems’ £300m investment aimed at modernising and digitising their Glasgow facilities.
BAE Systems expects the hall to improve scheduling and minimise the intervals between ship deliveries.
This investment is crucial for the timely delivery of eight Type 26 frigates destined for the Royal Navy, said the company.
BAE Systems naval ships business managing director Simon Lister said that “the Royal Navy would soon reap the benefits of the enhanced facilities”.
Lister added: “The world-class technology in the hall will transform the way we design and build warships and help to secure the long-term future for complex shipbuilding in Glasgow.
“With some of the best infrastructure anywhere in the world, Glasgow is once again at the forefront of maritime innovation.”
