Type 26 Frigate

Type 26 frigate is a ship design and construction programme currently under way by the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom. It will replace the four Type 22 and sixteen Type 23 frigates of the Royal Navy and export orders are being sought. The programme has been in development since 1998, initially under the designation "Future Surface Combatant (FSC)". In March 2010 BAE Systems Surface Ships was awarded a four year contract to develop the Type 26 Global Combat Ship. The design has passed Main Gate 1 and detailed design is under way; it is planned that first steel will be cut by the end of 2015 and that the Type 26 will "enter service as soon as possible after 2020".

In 2016, it was announced that the Type 26 frigate will be complemented by the smaller Type 31 frigates.

Specifications

 * Type: Frigate
 * Service Period: 2020-
 * Characteristics
 * Length: 492 feet (149.96 meters)
 * Beam: 68 feet (20.73 meters)
 * Draft:
 * Displacement: 6,400 tons (Standard); 8,000 tons (Full Load)
 * Crew: 118 (accommodation for 208)
 * Endurance: 60 days
 * Propulsion: CODLOG, Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine, 4 high speed diesel generators, 2 electric motors
 * Range: 7,000 miles (11,265 kilometers) at 15 knots (27.78 km/hr)
 * Speed: 33 Knots (61.12 km/hr)
 * Sensor Suite:
 * Type 997 Artisan 3D Air/Surface Search Search Radar
 * SharpEye I-Band Surface Search Radar
 * SharpEye E/F-Band Navigation Radar
 * Type 2150 Bow Sonar
 * Type 2087 Towed Array Sonar
 * SCOT-5 satcom
 * IRVIN-GQ DLF decoys
 * Armament
 * 1 x BAe Systems 5"/62-caliber Mk.45 Mod 4 lightweight naval gun
 * 2 x 24-cell Sea Ceptor missile launchers
 * 1 x 24-cell Mk.41 VLS (fires LRASM, RGM-109 Tomahawk and RUM-139 VL-ASROC)
 * 2 x 12.75" triple torpedo tubes (fires Stingray torpedoes)
 * 2 x DSM30 30mm autocannons
 * 2 x miniguns
 * 2 x Phalanx 20mm CIWS
 * Aircraft Carried: 3 x AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat or 2 x AW101 Merlin maritime helicopters
 * Aviation Facilities: Flight Deck, Enclosed Hangar, and Accommodation for UAVs

Unit Run

 * HMS Bloodhound (F246)
 * HMS Battleaxe (F247)
 * HMS Broadsword (F248)
 * HMS Boxer (F249)
 * HMS Exeter (F250)
 * HMS Endeavour (F251)
 * HMS Eclipse (F252)
 * HMS Excelsior (F253)
 * HMS Erebus (F254)
 * HMS Euryalus (F255)
 * HMS Encounter (F256)
 * HMS Electra (F257)
 * HMS Express (F258)
 * HMS Escort (F259)
 * HMS Emerald (F260)
 * HMS Enterprise (F261)