MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Royal Navy presents computer images of Type 26 combat ship planned for 2020

Computer-generated image of the basic specification of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship (Picture: BAE Systems/MOD)

The latest design of the Royal Navy's Type 26 Global Combat Ship (T26 GCS), the next generation of warships, was unveiled on Monday. The UK Ministry of Defence has released images showing the basic specification of the T26 GCS, which is a significant milestone in the development of this program.

The multi-mission warship, which is due to come into service after 2020, will be used by the Royal Navy in combat and counter-piracy operations, and to support humanitarian and disaster relief work around the world.

Since 2010 the MOD has been working with BAE Systems to determine the ship's basic capabilities and baseline design. Now that has been endorsed, the program can progress to the next part of the assessment phase, which will examine the detailed specifications of the vessel.

With a displacement of around 5,400 tonnes, the T26 GCS will be around 148m in length (the equivalent of around 15 double-decker buses), and among the most advanced vessels in the Royal Navy's fleet.

The T26 GCS is expected to feature: vertical missile silos capable of housing a range of different weapons; a medium-calibre gun; hangar to accommodate a Merlin or Wildcat helicopter, and a flexible mission space for unmanned air, surface and underwater vehicles, or additional boats and the most advanced sensors available to the fleet.

The T26 GCS is one of several projects, including the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers, which will see UK shipbuilding provide world class equipment for the Royal Navy.

The Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, Peter Luff, said that the Type 26 Global Combat Ship will be “the backbone of the Royal Navy for decades to come. It is designed to be adaptable and easily upgraded, reacting to threats as they change”.

“I am delighted the program has been endorsed by the investment approvals committee. The build of these vessels will secure thousands of skilled jobs across the UK, helping to sustain an industrial surface warship capability”.

”The T26 GCS will be a multi-mission warship designed for joint and multinational operations across the full spectrum of warfare, including complex combat operations, maritime security operations such as counter-piracy, as well as humanitarian and disaster relief work around the world”, said the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope. He added the T26 GCS will be capable of operating independently for significant periods or as part of a task group and will play a major role in the defence of the UK for many years.