UK: Keel laid for HMS Active, second Type 31 frigate

UK shipbuilder Babcock International has laid the keel for the second Type 31 frigate that is being constructed for the Royal Navy.

This marks the move into the programme’s multi-ship phase which sees two warships being built simultaneously, with work continuing only metres away on the first of the Inspiration class, HMS Venturer. The keel-laying ceremony was held on 16 September.

“Type 31 is an incredibly important programme for Babcock, our Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence customer and for the wider UK Shipbuilding industry,” John Howie, Babcock’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and Interim CEO Marine, said.

“The success of this programme is founded on the strong relationship with our customer and the mission we jointly share, which is inspiring our teams each and every day to strive for excellence, delivering this future capability the Royal Navy needs”.

To remind, the construction of the vessel started in January this year with a traditional steel-cutting ceremony. The 31s have been designed and are being built for the Royal Navy, but with one eye firmly on the export market; the Polish and Indonesian navies have selected the design for their future fleets.

The Polish frigate programme, which like the UK’s Type 31 and Indonesian Merah Putih frigate programme, is based on Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 design, recently reached a milestone of its own, cutting steel for the first of three vessels.