Construction Begins on Royal Navy's Fourth Type 26 Anti-Submarine Warfare Ship

The UK Minister for Defence Procurement Alex Chalk attended the ceremony to officially begin construction on the Royal Navy’s future HMS Birmingham at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard in Glasgow.

The steel cut marked the official start of build on the fourth of eight Type 26 frigates. The Type 26 is designed for anti-submarine warfare and air defence, but can adapt its role to transport humanitarian aid and house medical facilities.

Work on the first three Type 26 ships is under way with HMS Glasgow now at BAE Systems’ Scotstoun shipyard to have its complex systems installed, HMS Cardiff currently being assembled and HMS Belfast in its early construction phase.

HMS Birmingham is the first ship to be constructed under a £4.2bn contract for the remaining five ships secured in November.