Milestone for Babcock as warship unveiled

DEFENCE MINISTER ATTENDS UNVEILING OF NEW FRIGATE

- By WILLIAM TELFORD

THE Royal Navy's new warships project has reached a significant milestone, with the rollout of frigate HMS Active. The Type 31, Inspiration Class vessel was unveiled at Rosyth, Scotland, in a ceremony attended by Plymouth MP Luke Pollard.

Babcock International Group Plc, which operates Devonport Dockyard, is delivering the new frigates, and on the same day began the steel cut for HMS Bulldog.

The Type 31 general purpose frigates will be based in Portsmouth and last year The Herald reported that the Devonport frigate sheds were too small to accommodate them for refit. Babcock said it was working with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on a long-term infrastructure plan for Devonport.

However, the new-build project is moving forward at a rapid pace, thanks to a modern, modular construction approach. The ceremonial steel cut for HMS Bulldog marked the official start of work on the fourth of the five Inspiration-class frigates.

The rollout of HMS Active saw the emergence of the second frigate from the purpose-built ship assembly hall, ahead of entering the water for the first time.