Royal Navy to get new Type 26 submarine-hunting warships

The Ministry of Defence has announced that work will begin next summer on the Royal Navy's newest submarine-hunting warships.

Eight Type 26 Global Combat Ships will be built on the Clyde in Scotland. They will replace the current frigates which are due to start leaving service in the late 2020s.

Some £1.9bn has already been invested in the programme, which involves 27 UK companies in the supply chain.

The Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon, visited the BAE Systems (LSE: BA.L - news) shipyard to make the announcement:

"Backed by Britain's rising defence budget, the Type 26 programme will deliver a new generation of cutting-edge warships for our Royal Navy at best value for taxpayers," he said.

"The UK Government's commitment today will secure hundreds of high-skilled shipbuilding jobs on the Clyde for at least two decades and hundreds more in the supply chain across Britain."

The new ships will protect the UK's nuclear deterrent and sail alongside the new aircraft carriers when they are built later in the decade.

The Royal Navy originally wanted 13 Type 26s but the Government has instead committed to eight and is expected to also build five Type 31 general purpose frigates.

The UK Government hopes to export the new ships to other countries.