BAE Systems has awarded propulsion systems specialist Rolls-Royce two contracts to supply low-noise propellers and mission bay handling technologies for the first three Royal Navy Type 26 frigates.
The first Type 26 is currently under construction at the BAE Systems shipyard in Glasgow.
The Rolls-Royce-supplied mission bay handling system will enable efficient movement of craft and containerized mission packages within the mission bay. It also features a launch and recovery capability.
Each ship will feature two Rolls-Royce fixed bolted propellers, designed for extremely low underwater-radiated noise, suited to the ships’ key role of anti-submarine warfare.
“The Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigates will be globally deployable, multi-mission warships capable of undertaking a wide range of roles,” Don Roussinos, Rolls-Royce, president – naval, said. “Our propeller technology will once again provide the Royal Navy with the all-important combination of high propulsive efficiency and low underwater-radiated noise signature to fulfill the essential anti-submarine warfare role of these ships.”
Rolls-Royce is delivering the majority of the propulsion system for the Type 26. Power will come from a single MT30 gas turbine, providing direct drive through a gear box, and four MTU Series 4000 diesel generator sets from Rolls-Royce Power Systems.