Royal Navy shows progress of HMS Glasgow, the first of its new Type 26 frigates

Half of the hull of HMS Glasgow, one of eight state-of-the-art Type 26 frigates has been pieced together in a major milestone for the Senior Service.

The 8,000-tonne submarine-hunting specialist is being built in sections in BAE’s Govan yard, in Glasgow.

Once each section of the ship is complete, they will be wheeled to the hard outside the yard where the sections will be joined together before the completed ship is lowered into the Clyde via a barge.

Fitting out will be completed at BAE’s Soctstoun yard.

Last year, the former defence procurement minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said the work represented ‘a truly UK-wide enterprise.’

The MP, who is now the armed forces minister, said: ‘The Royal Navy's new world-beating Type 26 anti-submarine frigates are truly a UK-wide enterprise, supporting thousands of jobs here in Scotland and across the UK.

‘These ships will clearly contribute to UK and allied security, but also make a strong economic contribution to the country.

‘With 64 sub-contracts already placed with UK-based businesses, there will be new export opportunities for them to tender for through the selection of the Type 26 design by Australia and Canada too.’

More than 1,500 people nationwide are involved in the Type 26 programme, with an expected 3,400 jobs due to be created when construction reaches its peak.

Critical parts of the warship’s sensitive technology are being developed and tested in the Portsmouth area.

HMS Glasgow is one of eight vessels being built, all of which will be based in Plymouth.

They will replace the anti-submarine Type 23 frigates, which will begin retiring around 2029 after more than 30 years on patrol.

Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose, with a 200 strong crew including sailors from Portsmouth, is currently heading to the Strait of Hormuz, following increasing tensions with Iran.