The first-in-class ship is now at the BAE Systems shipyard in Scotstoun, Glasgow, where outfitting will be completed. HMS Glasgow will then start sea trials ahead of her commissioning with the Royal Navy.
The future frigate was previously loaded on a barge at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard and moved down river to a deep-water location in the West of Scotland to be floated. She then was towed back up the Clyde River to the yard.
BAE Systems said on its LinkedIn account: “Today is a momentous and proud occasion for the Type 26 programme and our colleagues at BAE Systems Maritime, with HMS Glasgow, the First of Class, arriving at our shipyard in Scotstoun having successfully entered the water last night. Her time in Scotstoun will be spent finishing her outfit before test and commissioning takes place.”
The British shipbuilder explained in a press release last week: The float off process is a more modern, efficient and low risk way for a ship to enter the water compared to the previous dynamic launches. The process is well proven, having been used for the five Offshore Patrol Vessels built by BAE Systems in Glasgow, the last of which was delivered to the Royal Navy in 2020.
HMS Glasgow has been under construction since steel was cut in 2017. The second and third ships, HMS Cardiff and HMS Belfast, are currently in build in Govan. The build process for each ship involves its structure being completed in Govan; skilled teams of fabricators and steelworkers construct the units before they are assembled into the forward and aft blocks which are joined together before the ship departs. In Scotstoun, the ship’s outfit is completed and the complex systems are set to work before test and commissioning takes place. HMS Glasgow will be delivered to the Royal Navy in the mid-2020s.
About Type 26 Frigate
The Type 26 City-class frigates for the Royal Navy will replace the current anti-submarine warfare Type 23 frigates and provide advanced protection to the Continuous at Sea Deterrent and Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers and offer unrivalled anti-submarine warfare capability.
Each Type 26 will be equipped with a range of capabilities including the Sea-Ceptor missile defence system, a 5-inch medium calibre gun, an embarked helicopter, medium range radar, powerful bow and towed array sonars, helicopter-launched torpedoes and a design which makes them extremely difficult for enemy submarines to detect. They will be designed for joint and multinational operations across the full spectrum of warfare, including complex combat operations, counter piracy, humanitarian aid and disaster relief work.
The first three ships, HMS Glasgow, HMS Cardiff and HMS Belfast, were ordered for £3.7 billion. HMS Edinburgh, Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle and London will form the second batch of Type 26 warships.
In addition to the Royal Navy, export variants of the Type 26 have already been selected by the Royal Australian Navy (Hunter-class) and Royal Canadian Navy (CSC).
