The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a £4.2bn contract to BAE Systems to manufacture the next five City Class Type 26 frigates for the Royal Navy in Glasgow.
The contract sustains more than 4,000 jobs across BAE Systems and the wider UK maritime supply chain. It also secures shipbuilding at BAE Systems’ facilities in Scotland into the 2030s. Up to £1.8bn of the new order will be spent in the supply chain, including £1.2bn with UK suppliers.
Type 26 is one of the world’s most advanced warships. It is designed for anti-submarine warfare and high-intensity air defence, but can adapt its role quickly to transport high volumes of humanitarian aid and house medical facilities. Three Type 26 ships are already in build in Glasgow, with the first of class, HMS Glasgow, on track to enter the water later this year and to be delivered to the Royal Navy in the mid-2020s. The construction of HMS Cardiff and HMS Belfast is also underway.