UK MoD signs contract with BAE Systems to build new frigates
What is known
The contract value was £4.2bn (~$5billion). The deal will create 1,700 UK jobs over the next decade. As part of the agreement, the company undertakes to build five more Type 26-class frigates for the Royal Navy of Great Britain (Royal Navy).
They will be called HMS Birmingham, HMSSheffield, HMS Newcastle, HMS Edinburgh and HMS London. The new frigates will join the trio of ships whose construction has already started. These are HMS Glasgow, HMS Cardiff and HMS Belfast.
HMS Glasgow will be the first to enter service with the Royal Navy. This will happen in 2028. All other frigates should be built by the middle of the next decade.
Type 26 class ships to replace frigatesType 23. They will be 149 meters long, almost 21 meters wide and displace 8,000 tons. The maximum speed will be just over 48 km/h (26 knots), and the cruising range will be almost 13,000 km (7,000 nautical miles).
Type 26 frigates will receive an artillery mountMk 45 127 mm caliber, 30 mm DS 30M Mk 2 modules, Mark 15 Phalanx CIWS naval anti-aircraft artillery system and M134 Minigun machine gun. The ships will also carry Sea Ceptor air defense systems and be able to launch Tomahawk missiles.