BAE Systems gets its frigate together

After a series of complex maneuvers, the frigate's two main blocks were aligned/ [ image copyright © 2021 BAE Systems]

Last week, BAE Systems brought the two halves of HMS Glasgow together for first time.

The aft block of the ship, the first City Class Type 26 frigate being built for the Royal Navy, was rolled out of the build hall at BAE’s Govan shipyard on the River Clyde in Scotland. Teams at the shipyard prepared and completed a series of complex maneuvers to bring the aft block out of the shipyard’s ship block and outfit hall and into position to meet the forward block, which had been rolled out and positioned on the hard stand on April 22.

The aft block contains the ship’s versatile mission bay and hangar which is capable of supporting helicopters, boats, mission loads and disaster relief stores, while the flight deck is capable of landing a Chinook helicopter for transport of embarked forces. The forward section of the frigate contains the bridge, operations room and accommodation space.

Measuring 149.9 meters (491 feet, 10 inches) long, now that both blocks are together, HMS Glasgow is the first in a new generation of frigates, designed and built in her namesake city. The Type 26 is the original variant of BAE Systems’ Global Combat Ship, which Australia and Canada have both selected as the reference design for their anti-submarine frigate programs, supporting greater operational, training and intelligence ties between the three nations.