"They'll be built simultaneously": Plans set for Type 26 Royal Navy and Norway frigates amid delay fears

The government agreed a mammoth £10bn export deal for Type 26 frigates to be constructed for Norway. Five ships are being produced in Scotland for the Scandinavian military, with eight due to be produced for the UK.

Fears arose that the project would create delays in the vessels being ready for the Royal Navy fleet. Former First Sea Lord Admiral Lord West of Spithead whether two building streams will be used to make sure deadlines are met.

Lord Vernon Coaker, Labour’s defence peer in the House of Lords, said: “The recent announcement by the Norwegian Government to select the UK as a strategic partner for the acquisition of Type (T26) warships is expected to provide a £10bn boost to the UK economy and support more than 400 British companies.

“Both the Royal Navy and Norwegian Navy T26 frigates will be built simultaneously by BAE Systems on the Clyde, benefitting from investments already made, such as the Janet Harvey Shipbuilding Hall in Govan. The new Shipbuilding Hall will improve schedule performance and the pace of delivery, reducing the time between future ship deliveries for both the UK and Norway.”

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The City-class frigates are due to replace their ageing Type 23 counterparts. HMS Glasgow, the first of the eight ships, was unveiled to the public in May ahead of the fitting out process. She is scheduled to begin sea trials later this year.

These ships are due to be introduced into the Royal Navy from 2028, with all eight vessels being delivered by 2035. Each vessel will be equipped with a medium-calibre gun, Sea Ceptor missiles, a towed sonar array and a helipad capable of accommodating Merlin and Chinhook helicopters.

They are expected to be deployed to the North Atlantic alongside autonomous vessels, patrolling the area to keep is safe from adversaries.