The “HMS Cardiff”, the second of eight Type 26 frigates that BAE Systems being built for the Royal Navy, was recently launched for the first time. With the help of a barge, the ship was towed from the shipyard in Govan to a deep water location in the west of Scotland, where the barge then submerged, launching the ship. The frigate then returned to the BAE Systems shipyard in Scotstoun, where it will undergo the next stages of outfitting before being tested and commissioned.
David Shepherd, Program Director for the Type 26 at BAE Systems, said: “Seeing the latest ship in the water for the first time was a proud and exciting moment for the thousands of people involved in this major national project. The Type 26 has impressive and world-leading capabilities and we look forward to installing HMS Cardiff’s complex systems and bringing her to life.” https://militaeraktuell.at/teknofest-2024-tuerkische-flugshow-mit-drohnen/ The float-off process used here is a more modern, efficient and less risky method of launching a ship than the previous dynamic launches. The ships were pushed into the water via a slipway. This float-off procedure was also chosen for the first Type 26 frigate, the “HMS Glasgow”, at the end of 2022. Pat Browning, Type 26 Team Leader at Defence Equipment & Support, said: “We are delighted to have reached this important milestone in the construction program for HMS Cardiff. This is a significant achievement for the entire Type 26 program team and a moment for us all to be proud of as we continue to work towards the delivery of the Royal Navy’s new fleet of state-of-the-art anti-submarine warfare frigates.”
Of the three other Type 26 ships under construction, “HMS Glasgow” is being fitted with combat and mission systems in Scotstoun, while “HMS Belfast” and “HMS Birmingham” are being built in Govan. The structure is completed there before being assembled into two main blocks, which in turn are joined together before the ship sails. In Govan, BAE Systems invested in a new shipbuilding hallwhich will make HMS Cardiff the last frigate to have some of this initial work carried out outside. The hall will allow the structures of the remaining frigates to be completed indoors. In Scotstoun, the ship’s equipment will be completed and the complex systems installed before testing and commissioning takes place. As the first ship of the class, “HMS Glasgow” is expected to enter service in 2028.
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