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2015-05-01

FRIGATES OF THE FUTURE

BAE gets massive boost for UK navy’s Global Combat Ship

BAE Systems has welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister David Cameron confirming the UK Government’s continued commitment to sustaining national sovereign capability to deliver complex warships to the Royal Navy.

The £859 million demonstration contract for the Type 26 Global Combat Ship comes on the back of the recent contract for three offshore patrol vessels, which are already under construction in Glasgow. The contract will help to support the UK’s industrial base, including more than 600 jobs in Scotland and over 1,000 more throughout the UK in both BAE Systems and its supply chain.

The company is also driving continued investment in education and training with its largest ever recruitment of apprentices and graduates, including 220 in its naval ships business, the majority of which are in Glasgow.

BAE Systems chief executive, Ian King, said: “We have a long and proud heritage of delivering complex warships in the UK and the announcement is a significant endorsement of the Government’s commitment to sustain this important national capability.

“We are committed to working with the Government, the Ministry of Defence and our partners in the maritime supply chain to ensure the Royal Navy has the capability it needs to protect national interests, while ensuring the best value for money for UK taxpayers.

Innovative

“Through the Type 26 programme, we are transforming the way we design and manufacture naval ships with innovative new technologies, leading-edge processes and modern infrastructure. New ways of working ensure we can continue to deliver the highest quality equipment at the lowest possible cost and compete effectively for future UK and international orders.”

Prime Minister Cameron said: “This is a substantial investment in our shipbuilding industry, safeguarding the jobs of 600 workers in Scotland and many more across the UK. Investing in these warships will ensure we continue to keep our country safe, at home and abroad.

“As part of our long term economic plan, we’re not just building the most advanced modern warships in the world – we are building the careers of many young people with apprenticeships that will set them up for life.”

The Global Combat Ship will take full advantage of modular design and open systems architecture, ensuring it can be easily upgraded as new technology develops and can accommodate sub-systems and equipment to individual customer needs.

Commitment

The programme envisages the delivery of 13 Type 26 ships to the Royal Navy. The first vessel is due to enter service in the early 2020s and the Type 26 class is expected to remain in service until 2060.

Despite pressure on military spending, Wheeldon said he was hopeful that the full 13 vessels would be built.

Under current plans, the first steel for the Type 26s would be cut in next year, with the first ship in the class going into service with the Navy in 2020. The ships are expected to have service lives of 40 years.

Significant

The Type 26 demonstration contract builds on the initial assessment phase and recently took effect, marking the next significant stage of the programme to support progression towards the manufacturing phase, which is expected to begin in Glasgow in 2016.

It will involve approximately 30 companies in the maritime supply chain and will enable the investment in essential long-lead items, including equipment such as gas turbines, diesel generators and steering gear for the first three ships, as well as the creation of shore-based testing facilities.

The Global Combat Ship will be a highly capable and versatile multi-mission warship designed to support anti-submarine warfare, air defence and general purpose operations anywhere on the world’s oceans.

Pedigree

With the design and development underpinned by battle-proven pedigree of Royal Navy warships, the Global Combat Ship will be capable of undertaking a wide range of roles from high intensity conflict to humanitarian assistance. It will be capable of operating independently or as a key asset within a task group.

All variants of will share a common acoustically quiet hull and will take full advantage of modular design and open systems architecture to facilitate through-life support and upgrades as new technology develops. This will ensure the Global Combat Ship remains relevant to future maritime demands and delivers an adaptable design with the ability to accommodate sub-systems to meet individual country needs.

The Type 26 will replace the UK’s Type 23 frigates, with the first set to enter service in the early 2020s and the last remaining in service beyond the middle of the century.

BAE Systems has a proven track record in licencing warship designs and combat systems to international customers and partners, enabling local build which enhances skills and improves in-service support.

The UK has committed to working with prospective international partners through a series of bilateral relationships to learn more about their requirements and ensure these can be met through the Global Combat Ship, with the potential to integrate systems specific to their individual requirements. Sufficient commonality will be retained to create opportunities for sharing training, operational experience and shipbuilding skills, each of which offers enormous value in bringing friendly maritime nations together.

Backbone

Versatility of roles is enabled by the integrated mission bay and hanger, capable of supporting multiple helicopters, UUVs, boats, mission loads and disaster relief stores. A launcher can be provided for fixed wing UAV operation and the flight deck is capable of landing a Chinook helicopter for transport of embarked forces.

BAE Systems expects that by the 2030s, the Type 26 will be the backbone of UK’s surface fleet and a strong industrial base is essential to sustaining this naval capability. BAE Systems’ partners and suppliers will be playing a key role in this, as they work together to further develop the detailed design of the ship’s systems and equipment to enable to deliver 13 highly capable, affordable and supportable Type 26 ships for the Royal Navy.

The contract awards build on the first four suppliers to the programme announced in September 2013. Covering propulsion and communications equipment for the ship, the initial design development agreements were awarded to Rolls Royce, MTU, David Brown Gear Systems and Rohde & Schwarz.

The assessment phase for the Type 26 programme began in 2010 and a joint team of more than 650 people from across BAE Systems and wider industry worked with the Ministry of Defence on the engineering of the ship and to prepare proposals which were submitted in 2012.

Under current plans, 13 Type 26 ships will be delivered to the Royal Navy, with manufacturing in Glasgow scheduled to start in 2016. Entering service as soon as possible after 2020, the Type 26 will be in service until at least 2059, and is being designed to be supported and upgraded as new technology becomes available, so that it will meet the demands of the maritime environment throughout its life. The ships will be equipped with some of the most modern and effective weapons systems available today, including Sea Ceptor missile system and 997 radar. Sea Ceptor, which will be fitted to the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates and in future, the Type 26 Global Combat Ship, is a cutting-edge missile capable of intercepting multiple targets out to a range of 25km, travelling at speeds of more than 2,000 miles an hour.

The one key area which makes the global combat ship stand apart from other warships is its adaptability. The Type 26 will adapt to operations, allowing equipment and crew to flex to meet changing tasks.

At the centre of this concept is the flexible mission bay located forward of the helicopter hangar, which can house and deploy additional boats, unmanned vehicles (aerial, surface or underwater) or up to ten containers for humanitarian aid. The design also incorporates a five-inch medium calibre gun and a flight deck that can operate aircraft up to Chinook helicopters.

Humanitarian

The Type 26 Global Combat Ship will be a globally deployable, multi-mission warship capable of undertaking a wide range of roles from high intensity warfare to humanitarian assistance, either operating independently or as part of a task group.

The ship will take full advantage of modular design and open systems architecture, ensuring it can be easily upgraded as new technology develops and can accommodate different sub-systems and equipment suited to potential overseas customer needs.

BAE Systems awarded four key design contracts for the Type 26 Global Combat Ship. The design development agreements are with Rolls-Royce, MTU, David Brown Gear Systems and Rohde & Schwarz cover propulsion and communications equipment for the ship design.

The vessel will employ a combined diesel electric or gas turbine propulsion system. This will enable the ships to achieve high speeds, whilst also providing an economic power to the onboard systems and will allow the ships to operate quietly in cruising mode. Rolls-Royce has been selected as the design partner for gas turbines, while David Brown Gear Systems will develop the gear box and MTU the diesel generator sets. Rohde & Schwarz has been selected to design the integrated communications system for the ships.

The ship will be a multi-mission warship capable of undertaking a wide range of roles from high intensity warfare to humanitarian assistance, either operating independently or as part of a task group•

Photo/ref: www.royalnavy.mod.uk

www.baesystems.com

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