Type 26 frigate Programme overview
- New class of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) frigates for the Royal Navy.
- Fleet: 8 ships planned, replacing the ageing Type 23 ASW frigates.
- First ship: HMS Glasgow, launched 2022, expected in service late 2020s.
- Class names: Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast, Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Edinburgh, London.
- Forms a core component of the UK’s carrier strike and NATO task group escorts.
Key capabilities
- Designed primarily for submarine hunting, with advanced quieting and sonar systems.
- Equipped with the Type 2087 towed array sonar for long-range detection.
- Armed with Sea Ceptor air defence missiles (32-cell VLS).
- 24 strike-length Mk41 Vertical Launch System cells for land-attack, anti-ship and future hypersonic weapons.
- 5-inch Mk45 Mod 4 naval gun for naval gunfire support.
- Flight deck and hangar to support Merlin or Wildcat helicopters, plus unmanned air systems.
- Modular mission bays for flexibility (e.g. unmanned systems, disaster relief stores).
Industrial impact
- Programme value: £3.7 billion for first three ships, with additional contracts extending the programme.
- Prime contractor: BAE Systems, Glasgow (Clyde shipyards).
- Supports over 4,000 jobs across the UK supply chain.
- Export success: Australia (Hunter-class) , Canada (CSC-class) and Norway have selected Type 26 as the basis for their future frigates, boosting UK industry.
Strategic importance
- Provides the Royal Navy with a world-class anti-submarine warfare platform for protecting the deterrent and carrier strike groups.
- Reinforces the UK’s role as a leading NATO ASW contributor in the North Atlantic.
- Highly adaptable design ensures long-term relevance through modular upgrades.
- Export success strengthens UK defence industry and international partnerships.
- Central to the Royal Navy’s Future Surface Fleet alongside Type 31 frigates and Type 45 destroyers.
Pictured: Type 26 Frigate HMS Cardiff being towed and maneuvered as she passes under the Erskine Bridge on the Clyde. UK MOD © Crown copyright 2024
