Page 118 - RSDG Year of 2023

116 EAGLE AND CARBINE
HMS GLASGOW
HMS Glasgow is the first of class of the Royal Navy’s eight brand-new Type 26 City class Frigates. Designed to be an advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) platform, she will hold advanced sonar systems to detect submarine threats and replace eight of the Type 23 Duke Class Frigates.
With HMS Glasgow being digitally designed, and taking advantage of modern technology, will be a very quiet platform with an acoustically quiet hull and machinery to help reduce the chance of the ship being detected.
Being much larger than the Type 23 Frigates, HMS Glasgow has a specially designed mission bay making her very adaptable to any mission required. The mission bay size allows it to hold up to ten shipping containers which enables the ship to adapt the range of equipment or supplies held onboard for a diverse range of missions.
This wide durability and capability of the platform is a key strength which has invited interest from both the Australian and Canadian Navies who are building their own version of the Type 26 Frigates.
With a large hanger facility which is able to accommodate two Wildcat Helicopters or one Merlin, and with a Flight deck capable of landing a Chinook.
These aircraft can be fitted out with a range of air launched weapons for various missions to strike either surface or submarine targets.
HMS Glasgow is to be fitted with Sea Ceptor air defence missiles capable of providing both self- defence and some area defence coverage when working in a task group.
A first for a British Frigate, she is also being fitted with the MK41 Launchers, capable of taking a
wide variety of missile systems from surface to surface or surface to air widening the ships strike capability.
Future missions for HMS Glasgow will include the Towed Array Patrol Ship (TAPS), deterring potentially hostile submarines from UK Waters, Fleet Ready Escort (FRE), escorting vessels through British waters and a host of humanitarian aid, defence engagement, surface warfare or naval gunnery support.
HMS Glasgow is currently being fitted out in BAE Systems Maritime Scotstoun yard with all the cabling, pipework, and equipment prior to her sea trials.
2023 has seen the Ship’s Company nearly double in the last year, starting with the core management team and now seeing more engineering and logistics personnel arriving in Tranche 2. The Ships Company now totals 37 personnel, out of the future total of 161.
The Ship’s Company continues to work alongside BAE Systems Partners advising on the operational aspects of a Warship. With systems expecting to start being fitted, the engineers getting ready to help in supporting these engineering pieces.
The logistics team have been working hard to get the first outfit of stores ready for when the ship goes on sea trials, ensuring all Firefighting and Flood equipment is held ready for sea trials.
This year, the Ship’s Company have hosted many visits from both affiliates and external personnel. Hosting Teams from
RAF CXX Squadron and the Fleet Support Unit