BAE Systems has cut steel for the second Type 26 Global Combat Ship, HMS Cardiff, marking an important milestone in the program to deliver the most advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capability to the Royal Navy.
In a traditional steel cut ceremony at BAE Systems’ shipyard in Govan on the River Clyde, attended by BAE Systems’ employees and representatives from the Royal Navy, Minister for Defence Procurement Anne-Marie Trevelyan performed the official duties; setting the plasma cutting machine to work on a plate of steel that will form part of the unit that holds vital fuel stores for the ship.
The Type 26 Global Combat Ship is designed and built by BAE Systems in Glasgow. Each ship will be equipped with a range of capabilities including the Sea Ceptor missile defence system, a 5-inch medium calibre gun, flexible mission bay, Artisan 997 Medium Range Radar, bow and towed array sonars and a vertical launch silo capable of hosting a variety of weapons.
The ceremony to mark the formal start of manufacture on the second of the Type 26 Global Combat Ships, HMS Cardiff, comes two years after steel was cut on the first in class HMS Glasgow. Momentum on Glasgow continues with over one half of the ship now in production.
"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," Minister Trevelyan said.
“Today’s steel cut ceremony demonstrates the significant and positive progress we are making on this hugely complex, sophisticated and important program," Steve Timms, Managing Director, BAE Systems Naval Ships, said. "The Type 26 ships will be the most advanced anti-submarine warfare frigates the Royal Navy has ever had."
The Global Combat Ship supports a close partnership between the UK Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and the RAN, all of whom have selected a variant of the Type 26 design for their anti-submarine frigate programs.