Feature 1 | UK NAVAL PROGRAMMES
programme for the Type 26, or Global Combat Ship, although such programmes usually slip in time and grow in cost. The Type 26 was anticipated to be
the first of a class of Future Surface Combatants, a programme launched under a different name in 2006, and originally scheduled to consist of a ship for high intensity operations (C1) another sharing common features for lower intensity missions (C2) and a smaller multi-role ship (originally C3). Te Type 26 is C1 and BAE Systems began a design contract worth £127 million in March 2010 and this will be completed by 2014.
The Type 45s and Type 23s are superior in capability to their predecessors, but there are many fewer of them.
three will be needed, and that no decision on a fourth will be needed until the Main Gate (development and manufacture stage) about 2016. Te Initial Gate, as it is called, will include ordering long-lead items and will cost £3 billion up to the Main Gate decision. However, it appears that Successor will have a new reactor because of concerns about the safety of the Pressurised Water Reactor 2 (PWR 2), although the system meets all existing safety standards and was intended as a more cost-effective solution to nuclear power. Developing PWR 3 will raise costs from the current estimate of £20 billion to about £25 billion.
Nineteen down to six Te fleet of 19 surface combatants will be reduced to the six Daring (Type 45) class anti-air warfare destroyers and the 13 Duke (Type 23) class anti-submarine frigates. Te last five Type 42 destroyers and four Broadsword (Type 22 Batch 3) class frigates will be paid off as soon as possible. Te Broadswords were originally scheduled to go between 2019 and 2022 and the Type 42s between 2011 and 2013. The Type 45s and Type 23s are far
superior in capability to their predecessors, a point frequently mentioned by the Ministry of Defence, but what is rarely mentioned by Whitehall is that no matter how capable they are fewer ships have to cover a wider area. Where the Royal Navy could have
about 10 surface combatants on station a decade ago now it can only deploy
20 Warship Technology July/August 2011
about six, which counter-balances any improvement in quality, indeed this year the Royal Navy has been unable to deploy a surface combatant to the Caribbean on anti-drug patrols (which are now conducted by large auxiliaries). It is planned to upgrade eight of the
Dukes to extend their lives into the 2030s, when they will be finally replaced by the Type 26, which is scheduled to enter service “as soon as possible aſter 2020.” The new frigate is “designed to be easily adapted to change roles and capabilities depending on the strategic circumstances.” The Government seeking an international development
is
Cost speculation Tere are reports that the ship will have a displacement of around 6850tonnes but in May of this year there were reports that
the displacement will be
reduced to 5500tonnes, allegedly cutting costs from £500 million to as much as half that figure. Traditionally, the hull and propulsion systems account for only about a third of a warship’s cost with electronics and weapon systems accounting for the remainder, suggesting that a substantial reduction in capability is being contemplated to save money. Te Type 26 would replace the Dukes
on a one-for-one basis, with five general purpose and eight anti-submarine versions. It is worth noting that the original plans envisaged 10 C1s and
The UK plans to replace its fleet of ballistic missile submarines in due course.
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