UK Defense Ministry to Spend $4.8 Bln on Construction of 3 Type 26 Frigates

LONDON (Sputnik) – The Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigates will be able to operate at the range of 7,000 nautical miles (over 8,000 miles) and build up a speed of up to 26 knots (over 27 miles per hour).

"The Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has announced the signing of a contract worth around £3.7 billion to start building the Royal Navy’s Type 26 Frigates," the statement said.

The construction of the vessels will secure about 1,700 skilled shipbuilding jobs in Scotland and 1,700 more jobs across the United Kingdom until 2035, according to the Defense Ministry.

"Backed by a rising defence budget and a £178bn Equipment Plan, the Type 26 programme will bring vast economic benefits to Scotland and the wider UK. The contract is structured to ensure value for taxpayers’ money and, importantly, now designed to protect them from extra bills from project overrun," Fallon was quoted as saying in the press release.

The frigates will protect the UK’s nuclear deterrent and the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers such as HMS Queen Elizabeth, which recently took to the sea for the first time.

"The Type 26 will be the most advanced anti-submarine warfare ship in its class around the world. The MOD is exploring potential export opportunities where there is strong interest from international customers," the ministry outlined.