Work on First UK Royal Navy’s Type 26 Class Next Generation Frigate Starts

The UK Defense Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon officially began the manufacture of the Royal Navy’s first Type-26 class next generation frigate, HMS Glasgow.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said, “HMS Glasgow and the other seven frigates in this new class will protect our powerful new aircraft carriers and nuclear deterrent, helping keep Britain safe across the world.

The Type 26 is an advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare frigate that will provide essential protection to our nuclear deterrent and aircraft carriers, building on the pedigree of the Royal Navy’s current Type 23 frigates, the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) said in a statement Thursday.

Its flexible design will allow its weapon systems to be adapted throughout its lifespan to counter future threats. The Type 26 benefits from the latest advances in digital technologies, including 3D and virtual reality, which ensures that the ship’s design is refined earlier in the process.

The Defence Secretary has revealed HMS Glasgow will be the name of the first of eight City class Type 26 frigates as he cut her first piece of steel at Govan shipyard in Scotland today. HMS Glasgow will enter service with the Royal Navy in the mid 2020s.

As an island nation, we are utterly dependent on the sea for our security and prosperity, and the City-class names have been chosen for the Type 26 to provide an enduring link between the Royal Navy and our great centres of commerce and industry.

BAE Systems and the MOD are exploring export opportunities, with interest from international customers including Australia.

Earlier this month the Defence Secretary announced the signing of a contract worth around £3.7 billion to start building the Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigates.