‘No speed up’ in new Royal Navy hi-tech frigates fleet, says defence minister

DEFENCE chiefs have ‘no plans’ to speed up the program to build the navy’s new fleet of hi-tech frigates.

By The Newsroom

Published 28th Jan 2019, 09:02 BST

Updated 7th Feb 2019, 19:20 BST

A computer-generated image of the Type 26 frigate. Photo: BAE Systems

Defence minister Earl Howe said the government had no intention of speeding up the procurement plans of the Type 26 programmes.

His comments followed a question by Admiral Lord Alan West, a former head of the navy, who has previously told of his concern over the time it is taking to build the new frigates.

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Lord West asked ‘what consideration, if any’ has the government given ‘to accelerating the Type 26 build programme?’.

Responding, Earl Howe said: ‘The Ministry of Defence has no plans to change the schedule for the Type 26 frigate procurement programme.

‘The first Type 26 ship, HMS Glasgow, will enter service with the Royal Navy in 2027.’

The navy is building eight of the City-class warships, which will be based at Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth.

Royal Navy Plymouth