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[Colin Bishop]

This article on the Navy Lookout site gives an insight as to why it is taking so long (11 years for first of class) to build the type 26 Frigates.

https://www.navylookout.com/in-focus-delivering-the-type-26-frigates/

Ship Concept here:

https://www.navylookout.com/a-guide-to-the-type-26-frigate/

As a comparison see this older article on the Type 31 frigates.

https://www.navylookout.com/more-details-of-the-royal-navys-type-31-frigate-emerge/

There is an interesting statement that 5Type 31s can be built for the cost of one Type 26 which sort of makes the Type 26 vessels capital ships!

Colin

[Circlip]

So how does this compare with other MoD contracts? Always late and over budget and subject to modifications galore (Nimrod) 'Seemed like a good idea at the time? Long gone are the times when individual manufacturers had to foot their own "Development"costs.


  Regards  Ian.

[Colin Bishop]

Plenty of other examples of delays on MOD projects but, as the article states, much of the naval procurement ones are down to saving money by slowing down the projects over more financial years to reduce pressure on budget allocations even though this means a higher overall eventual cost (and the opportunity for more 'improvements' to creep in). With the carriers Gordon Brown wanted to prolong employment in Scotland.

Another difficulty, as also mentioned, is lack of skilled workers to construct and fit out the vessels. The same problem occurred in the 1930s when Britain was rearming. The skilled workforce that built the Grand Fleet had pretty much gone by then as there wasn't much Naval construction after WW1. The problems with the gun mountings on the KGV class battleships were due to a lack of expertise in designing and building them. With hindsight the ships might have been better equipped with the twin 15 inch mountings whech were a proven and excellent design and good enough as hand me downs for HMS Vanguard in 1945!

It's not just the UK that has problems though, look at the Zumwalt class destroyers built for the US Navy. They had so many new features that they were technological and financial fiascos. Only 3 were built of the 32 planned and the USN has now reverted back to building improved Arleigh Burke class ships instead. The 6 inch guns designed to fire different types of projectiles, including rocket assisted shells, are inoperative because the ammunition is too expensive.

The Littoral Combat Ship programme has been another financial and technical disaster with the ships not fit for purpose. Even the new Carrier, Gerald Ford, has been plagued with problems and has taken since 2017 to become operational.

The German Navy is a basket case and just about everywhere you look around the world Navies are suffering from procurement and operational problems. China is building up her fleet but just how good the ships are remains to be seen as the country has not traditionally had much of a navy.

Colin

[derekwarner]

One of the most dfflcuilt challenges for a Journalist, must be providing fact in a Military/Defence  area


"The usual pressures in funding the defence Equipment Plan means balancing in-year budgets forced the MoD to artificially slow down delivery"

  ....Derek

[Circlip]

Seems to be a common theme with so many 'New' designs, drive train problems.


  Regards  Ian.

[BrianB6]

It will be the same down here if the pollies insist on building nuclear subs in OZ.   No one has the expertise

[Circlip]

Brings a film title to mind.


   "The Sea Shall Not Have Them"


  Regards  Ian.