Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]

[Jdam]

Is that HMS Birmingham in the far left shed or is it just part of HMS Belfast?

[Jdam]

Is that HMS Birmingham in the far left shed or is it just part of HMS Belfast?

Belfast mate.

[donald_of_tokyo]

Very rare drone update here on HMS Glasgow due to this location being in the airport flight restriction zone.

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[Caribbean]

Very rare drone update here on HMS Glasgow due to this location being in the airport flight restriction zone.

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[new guy]

looks like the sonar is in.

Oh and the underside of the bridge wings are finally covered!

[serge750]

Putting this on record because I've been contacted a couple of times. Yes, the flight to capture HMS Glasgow was undertaken in a no fly zone. Yes, it was near the airport. However, it also had full permission and police awareness. The footage and imagery is legal.

[new guy]

Putting this on record because I've been contacted a couple of times. Yes, the flight to capture HMS Glasgow was undertaken in a no fly zone. Yes, it was near the airport. However, it also had full permission and police awareness. The footage and imagery is legal.

Feel really sorry for you George with despite how many times you repeat it people still contact you accusing you of wrong doing. You should just ignore it.

[new guy]

Remember Norway has a programme for new frigates

[new guy]

It's not like they are getting in the way of the hundreds of workers swarming all over the ship.

[Tempest414]

It's not like they are getting in the way of the hundreds of workers swarming all over the ship.

No Bob had to stop and show them around

[Jdam]

Bob was the one taking the pictures

[Scimitar54]

Amazing what you can achieve with a “Selfie Stick”. ha! ha! ha!

[Phil R]

Me again, this time with the April update.

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[Jdam]

HMS Cardiff looking very clean, upcoming launch?

[wargame_insomniac]

Incredible photos! Nice flying.

Do we know what the new assembly process will be once the hall's finished? Are the old triple sheds going to be used for putting together 'superblocks', or will that all be done in the new one?

[hopper]

I was at BAE Systems Maritime yard in Govan, Glasgow, today for a media day discussing the progress on the Type 26 Frigate project. Here's a quick update on the first four ships and what stage they're at, more extensive write up coming.

HMS Glasgow is significantly advanced in its construction, with about 65% completion. Major equipment installations are underway, including the fitting of the bow sonar and main gun. The ship is currently in Scotstoun for painting and outfitting, with plans to move to testing and commissioning phases soon. Sea trials are expected in 2026, aligning with the timeline for handover to the Royal Navy.

HMS Cardiff is progressing towards structural completion, just slightly behind Glasgow in the overall timeline. The ship is preparing for subsequent phases that will include similar steps of outfitting and testing in Scotstoun. She's more or less on track.

HMS Belfast is in the early stages of construction, and units are described as being in "three or four large chunks," with plans in place for her consolidation in the newly constructed shipbuilding facility, expected to be operational by August or September next year. This indicates Belfast is preparatory, with significant assembly work ahead. This ship has taken a hit in terms of steel work resource, but BAE hopeful timeline can recover.

HMS Birmingham will see about 1/6th of its steelwork being built at A&P on the Tyne and at Cammell Laird. This outsourcing is designed to ensure that the construction schedules of the Type 26 frigates are accelerated and managed effectively without overburdening the primary fabrication facilities. Birmingham's components will arrive by barge for assembly, with consolidation to start in the latter part of the year or early next year.

[Anthony58]

Incredible photos! Nice flying.

Do we know what the new assembly process will be once the hall's finished? Are the old triple sheds going to be used for putting together 'superblocks', or will that all be done in the new one?

All in new for T26 but exist for other projects down the line.

[new guy]

This outsourcing is designed to ensure that the construction schedules of the Type 26 frigates are accelerated

Accelerated? To get back on schedule or to improve delivery date?

Thanks for the update George

[new guy]

HMS Belfast is in the early stages of construction, and units are described as being in "three or four large chunks," with plans in place for her consolidation in the newly constructed shipbuilding facility, expected to be operational by August or September next year. This indicates Belfast is preparatory, with significant assembly work ahead. This ship has taken a hit in terms of steel work resource, but BAE hopeful timeline can recover.

Preparatory as in started early or preparatory as in waiting for the hall to be completed?
Work being done early or work being delayed for the hall completion.
Also 16 months on top of however long since they started seems a very long time for the hall, at least comparatively to how long the Babcock hall took.
2025 august seems a bit ridiculous.
Also why has The ship has taken a hit in terms of steel work resource?

[RichardIC]

Just a Scandanavian military blogger but more speculation on possible Norwegian interest in Type 26 towards the bottom of this article.

• Norway wants new ASW frigates and wants them soon

• They want them to the exact specification as a close ally

https://corporalfrisk.com/2024/04/09/to ... l-9-again/

[Phil Sayers]

Even with the substantial hike in defence spending, is the Royal Norwegian Navy realistically going to be able to afford 5 x T26? It seems to me that it might be worth them considering either a 2 + 3 or a 3 + 2 mix with T31. Alternatively, 5 x FREMM or similar.

[Poiuytrewq]

Even with the substantial hike in defence spending, is the Royal Norwegian Navy realistically going to be able to afford 5 x T26? It seems to me that it might be worth them considering either a 2 + 3 or a 3 + 2 mix with T31. Alternatively, 5 x FREMM or similar.

What isn’t clear is what would 5x T26 cost if BAE was asked to build them as efficiently as possible.

Now that the T26 is in-build and the Govan infrastructure has been transformed the difference with 5x ASW FREMM may not be as large as before.

[SW1]

Even with the substantial hike in defence spending, is the Royal Norwegian Navy realistically going to be able to afford 5 x T26? It seems to me that it might be worth them considering either a 2 + 3 or a 3 + 2 mix with T31. Alternatively, 5 x FREMM or similar.

5 FDI or joining the new danish navy artic frigate program would be my guess. Though Norway do make the composite masts on type 26 so who knows.

[tomuk]

HMS Belfast is in the early stages of construction, and units are described as being in "three or four large chunks," with plans in place for her consolidation in the newly constructed shipbuilding facility, expected to be operational by August or September next year. This indicates Belfast is preparatory, with significant assembly work ahead. This ship has taken a hit in terms of steel work resource, but BAE hopeful timeline can recover.

Preparatory as in started early or preparatory as in waiting for the hall to be completed?
Work being done early or work being delayed for the hall completion.
Also 16 months on top of however long since they started seems a very long time for the hall, at least comparatively to how long the Babcock hall took.
2025 august seems a bit ridiculous.
Also why has The ship has taken a hit in terms of steel work resource?

Yes to me it looks like Belfast has been slowed down to wait for the hall. Whether that is quicker overall who is to say? But is it a treasury cashflow issue, not enough cash to build the hall and keep Belfast on track?

[donald_of_tokyo]

Even with the substantial hike in defence spending, is the Royal Norwegian Navy realistically going to be able to afford 5 x T26? It seems to me that it might be worth them considering either a 2 + 3 or a 3 + 2 mix with T31. Alternatively, 5 x FREMM or similar.

5 FDI or joining the new danish navy artic frigate program would be my guess. Though Norway do make the composite masts on type 26 so who knows.

The fact that Norway has increased significantly its budget but still aims for five frigates to me suggests they are aiming for quality, so the T26 should be in pole position.