SHAH ALAM: Walk Like the Type 26. As the government ponders over the fate of the LCS project, another shipbuilding project goes along and might just beat us to the punch. The project is of course the Royal Navy Type 26 frigate, with work on the first of class, HMS Glasgow, preceding to the final build of the ship. The ship is expected to be launched in 2021 and if everything goes well, Glasgow, might just pip PCU Maharaja Lela for its commissioning.
BNS workers posed for pictures with Maharaja Lela at her launch in August, 2017 The workers are under strict order not to share the pictures of the ship during the construction.
From the Royal Navy
Work starts on final piece of HMS Glasgow’s gigantic ‘jigsaw’
23 July 2020
A blinding flash of light from a hi-tech steel cutter at BAE’s Govan works signalled the start of work on the final giant section of Britain’s newest frigate.
Construction has begun on the 57th segment of the 8,000-tonne jigsaw which is HMS Glasgow, the first of eight Type 26 warships.
Fabrication Store Steelcutter Alex Clark operating the laser cutter on the last section of Glasgow. BAE Systems
It’s almost two years to the day that work on Glasgow began in the yard on the Clyde, with many of the completed sections pieced together in one of BAE’s assembly halls.
Work began on this last section of ship as another £100m of contracts were placed with the vast supply chain needed to build the world’s most advanced submarine hunter.
The superstructure with bridge. Royal Navy
Firms in Glasgow, Hartlepool, Nottingham and Dorset will provide a range of services and assistance with the construction of the class, including painting, cabling and insulation – work all essential to the outfitting of the ships – and the eventual float off when a barge lowers the frigates in the Clyde.
“It’s fantastic to see HMS Glasgow taking shape at our facilities here on the Clyde. She is a source of great pride for our workforce who have worked with real energy, commitment and innovation in recent months.” Steve Timms, BAE Systems Naval Ships Managing Director
To date more than £1bn has been spent in the Type 26 supply chain, spread around in excess of 100 firms worldwide. The latest £100m investment will support around 250 jobs in the UK, raising the total workforce involved in the future frigate programme over the 4,000 mark.
Computer Generated Image of the future Type 26 Global Combat Ship.
The eight ships, each named after some of the UK’s greatest cities, will replace the eight ‘souped up’ dedicated anti-submarine Type 23 frigates which will reach the end of their active lives by the mid 2030s.
Armed with the Sea Ceptor missile defence system, a new 5in main gun, a flexible mission bay, Artisan 997 Medium Range Radar, powerful bow and towed array sonars and with a Merlin or Wildcat helicopter embarked, the 26s will shield the Navy’s carrier strike groups from hostile submarines.
In addition five Type 31 general purpose frigates are intended to replace the general-duty Type 23s currently in service and also coming towards the end of their long and useful careers.
A CGI view of the stern of the Type 26. RN
As I had previously posted, I was told that the previous Defence Minister had approved in principle, the funds needed to finish the LCS project but the issue had gone quiet following the change of administration and the subsequent pandemic. Lets hope that we will not be beaten to the punch by the Type 26.
–Malaysian Defence
What on earth happens to our shipbuilding industries...
"Lets hope that we will not beaten to the punch by the Type 26....."
Had been beaten by egypt, thailand & philippines's new frigates before, "losing again" seemed "unshameful".
Mr Marhalim, do you have idea what is the current status of LCS?
Reply
No
Hey, look on the bright side lah. If the LCS comes into service in 2030, then the RMN will not need a replacement till 2070. That’s a 50 year plan!!
Anyway, by the sound of today’s news, I suppose a Scorpene KD Najib Razak will never happen....
" Lets hope that we will not be beaten to the punch by the Type 26."
Incomparable. The UK Government has more accountability in project lead times (tho not always the case with new projects), with more professional management that will be responsible for any penalties, and their Government are more willing to stomach the kind of cost overruns that has delayed LCS builds (see QE-class projected vs actual build costs), all to ensure they are no delays and there is work for their shipbuilders (of the voting kind).
Why no news on maharajalela and her sisters?
Is the the extra money asked already given?
Looks like there is no any work has been done to maharajalela since she sit on the dry dock.
@TomTom
"Scorpene KD Najib Razak will never happen"
For that to happen, the Government must first stomach a Scorpene KD Mahathir... ;-)
@ joe
IMO naming those subs after PMs is a big mistake. Well we could always recycle the name of laksamana class corvettes and FAC(M) and FAC(G) for future subs
According to my source another cause of the delays were
– due to the navy requested to change some specs/subsystems on the ship after Maharajalela were launched.
– This of course cause BNS to do draw again, send it to the French and redo again if the French wont approve it.
– There is also need to order and wait for new parts to arrive.
The Navy, after agreeing to start building the ships, should not make any major changes to the design and the results are what we have right now. This should clear up speculations that BNS were the main fault of these delays and thoughts that saye BNS could not deliver/do their jobs properly.
The first Royal Navy Type 31 Frigate will be in the water by 2023 and the in-service date will be in 2027.
Hopefully all 6 of our gowinds will be in the water by then.
View Comments (93)
What on earth happens to our shipbuilding industries...
"Lets hope that we will not beaten to the punch by the Type 26....."
Had been beaten by egypt, thailand & philippines's new frigates before, "losing again" seemed "unshameful".
Mr Marhalim, do you have idea what is the current status of LCS?
Reply
No
Hey, look on the bright side lah. If the LCS comes into service in 2030, then the RMN will not need a replacement till 2070. That’s a 50 year plan!!
Anyway, by the sound of today’s news, I suppose a Scorpene KD Najib Razak will never happen....
" Lets hope that we will not be beaten to the punch by the Type 26."
Incomparable. The UK Government has more accountability in project lead times (tho not always the case with new projects), with more professional management that will be responsible for any penalties, and their Government are more willing to stomach the kind of cost overruns that has delayed LCS builds (see QE-class projected vs actual build costs), all to ensure they are no delays and there is work for their shipbuilders (of the voting kind).
Why no news on maharajalela and her sisters?
Is the the extra money asked already given?
Looks like there is no any work has been done to maharajalela since she sit on the dry dock.
@TomTom
"Scorpene KD Najib Razak will never happen"
For that to happen, the Government must first stomach a Scorpene KD Mahathir... ;-)
@ joe
IMO naming those subs after PMs is a big mistake. Well we could always recycle the name of laksamana class corvettes and FAC(M) and FAC(G) for future subs
According to my source another cause of the delays were
– due to the navy requested to change some specs/subsystems on the ship after Maharajalela were launched.
– This of course cause BNS to do draw again, send it to the French and redo again if the French wont approve it.
– There is also need to order and wait for new parts to arrive.
The Navy, after agreeing to start building the ships, should not make any major changes to the design and the results are what we have right now. This should clear up speculations that BNS were the main fault of these delays and thoughts that saye BNS could not deliver/do their jobs properly.
The first Royal Navy Type 31 Frigate will be in the water by 2023 and the in-service date will be in 2027.
Hopefully all 6 of our gowinds will be in the water by then.