The British Royal Navy has announced that the first Type 26 advanced anti-submarine warfare frigate HMS Glasgow is under construction in a facility on the Clyde in Scotland.
Glasgow is the first of the Royal Navy’s next-generation frigates and the lead ship in the new City-class.
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In July 2017, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) awarded a £3.7bn contract to BAE Systems to deliver the first batch of three Type 26 global combat ships.
The navy intends to acquire eight vessels of this type to replace its existing specialist submarine-hunting Type 23 frigates.
Work on HMS Glasgow has been underway since mid-July 2017 at BAE Systems’ yard in Govan. The vessel is set to enter service with the navy in the mid-2020s.
The shed will first work on the forward part of the frigate before moving on to the stern.
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By GlobalDataThe two parts will then be joined on the slipway outside the shed and the main mast and bridge section will be lifted into place.
After this, the ‘mostly complete’ frigate will undergo outfitting at BAE’s yard on the north bank of the Clyde at Scotstoun, Glasgow.
Royal Navy vice-admiral Chris Gardner said: “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.”
The second and third vessels in the first batch are named Cardiff and Belfast respectively.
The remaining five vessels in the City-class are Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Edinburgh, and London.
Type 26 frigates are 60ft longer and 2,000t heavier than their predecessors. Vessels will protect the UK’s nuclear deterrent and the navy’s new aircraft carriers.
Ships feature bow and towed array sonar, Sea Ceptor air defence missiles, and a 5in main gun.
Furthermore, the frigates will be armed with the future offensive surface weapon, which is under development to replace the harpoon.
The MoD plans to negotiate the contract for the second batch of five ships in the early 2020s.
