Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1220268
frigates tasked with ASW mission primarily. The second class – smaller, multi-purpose frigates with displace- ment of around 4.500 tonnes – would feature a limited range of armament and a cheaper propulsion solution. The third type would come in a form of a corvette with displacement of around 2,500 tonnes - replacing larger mine countermeasure or survey vessels. In the early 2010 it was decided that the corvettes would be replaced by support ships. Nonetheless, research was continued with regards to two separate frigate classes. The Royal Navy was to receive 18 vessels belonging to both classes in total. Along with six Type 45 destroyers this was to provide the British fleet with total of 24 es- cort vessels belonging to three classes. These plans did not see any finalization – in 2010 the Strategic Defense and Security Review introduced cuts when it comes to diminishing of the number of the escort vessels. The quantity went down from 24 to 19 warships which translated into withdrawal of the legacy Type 22 frigates without commissioning their successors. Starting from 2020, only the younger Type 23 frigates were to be replaced by a new type of vessels – Global Combat Ship. The Global Combat Ship program was to result in introduction of 13 new Type 26 frigates that would replace the legacy vessels, one for one. Eight new warships were to be procured in the most advanced ASW variant with another five coming after them, in a cost-effective, cheap multi-purpose variety. SDSR 2010 provisions also entailed the first investments. BAE Systems was awarded with a contract worth 127 million GBP, and the company was tasked to begin design effort with regards to new frigates. However, even that plan, that was also a subject to cuts, has not become reality. SDSR 2015 stood in the way here. The document, in the section pertaining to the fu- ture Royal Navy escort fleet, has limited the number of Type 26 just to 8 vessels in the ASW version. This was caused by the pricetag exceeding the expectations – above 800 million GBP per vessel. Another five MPVs were replaced by a new class – Type 31E frigates. This means that after years of analytical effort a return has been made to the assumptions contained in the Future Surface Combatant or Sustained Surface Combatant Capability programs. The new vessels were to have more modest displace- ment, when compared to Type 26, with a modest set of sensors and armament, thus they were also to be cheap- er. A very general statement mentioned a 50% lower unit price for a new vessel, when compared to Type 26. The much lower cost of the new, light frigates, was of key www.fragoutmag.com