Royal Navy: How close are Type 26 ships HMS Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast, Birmingham and Sheffield to being built

Eight City-class Type 26 frigates are being produced to replace their Type 23 counterparts. Their importance was highlighted in the Strategic Defence Review, with the warships being set to be used to protect swathes of the North Sea alongside autonomous capabilities.

The ships are being built by BAE Systems’ engineers in Scotland. The first two frigates, HMS Glasgow and HMS Cardiff, are being outfitted in the company’s Scotstoun shipyard on the River Clyde. Also known as fitting out, outfitting is the process of equipping a vessel with all the necessary non-structural components and systems after the hull has been constructed.

The third and fourth vessels in the queue, HMS Belfast and HMS Birmingham, are being built in the newly constructed Janet Harvey Hall in Govan. It has a capacity for two ships to be constructed side-by-side, being 170m long and 80m wide. It houses two 100-tonne cranes and a further two 20-tonne cranes inside. HMS Sheffield, the fifth frigate, has had its steel cut. They are expected to be rolled out in the late 2020s and early 2030s.

Up to 500 workers can be accommodated in the new facility per shift. Warships can now be built by the company undercover for the first time, meaning adverse weather will no longer cause any project delays.

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Simon Lister, managing director of the firm’s naval ships business, said: “The Janet Harvey Hall marks a major step forward for shipbuilding in Glasgow and will help enable efficient and safe shipbuilding for decades to come. It’s a symbol of pride not just for our skilled workforce who bring these ships to life, but for the entire city.”

Stephen Charlick, Type 26 resident project officer at the Defence Equipment & Security (DE&S) arm of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), added: “Protecting the United Kingdom and its interests from evolving global threats requires state-of-the-art vessels like the Type 26 frigate and the investment by our industry partner, BAE Systems, underscores the commitment to equipping our armed forces.

“The Janet Harvey Hall brings an improved approach to warship assembly and outfit, driving quality throughout the build, and this approach supports regular delivery of vessels in line with the Royal Navy need.”