BAE Systems issues Type 26 frigate contracts

LONDON, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- BAE Systems has awarded its first equipment manufacturing contracts for the British Royal Navy program for Type 26 frigates.

Seven demonstration phase contracts worth a total of about $263 million were issued in the areas of propulsion, communications and electrical systems.

Recipients were Babcock, for the ship's air weapons handling system; David Brown Gear Systems Ltd., for the propulsion gearbox and the test facility; GE Power Conversion, for the electric propulsion motor and drive system and testing facility; Raytheon for the integrated navigation and bridge system; Rolls Royce Power Engineering for the gas turbine; Rohde & Schwarz UK Ltd., for the communications systems; and WR Davis for the uptakes and downtakes.

BAE Systems said a subcontract was issued to its Combat Systems team for the Meteorological and Oceanographic system that collects and analyzes environmental information.

The announcement of contracts "is exciting for everyone involved in the Type 26 program, as it will enable our partners in the supply chain to start manufacturing key equipment for the first three ships," said Geoff Searle,Type 26 Program director at BAE Systems. "This reinforces the strong momentum behind the program and is an important step towards the start of manufacturing the Type 26 ships for the Royal Navy in Glasgow [Scotland] next year."

The Royal Navy is expecting to procure 13 Type 26 ships. The first is due to enter service in the early 2020s.