Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster is moving closer to rejoining the fleet following a two year overhaul programme in Devonport.
The vessel is expected to be back in its homeport of Portsmouth by the end of 2019.
Lancaster has undergoing undergone extensive upgrades including installation of the new Artisan 3D radar, improved navigational radar and new-generation Sea Ceptor missile system. The backbone of the ship has also been strengthened with 200 new steel inserts fitted to reinforce Lancaster in heavy seas.
The new kit will be commissioned in the autumn ahead of planned initial sea trials early in 2020.
The whole Type 23 class is undergoing the mid-life refit that will allow the frigates to continue up to the early 2030s.
The Italian Navy is being refreshed with two new ships ordered, while in the past six months steel was cut for a new frigate, an enhanced frigate was delivered and Horizon-class frigates passed a design review.
Singapore’s navy has introduced the Combatant Craft Underwater vessel, a multi-mode swimmer delivery vehicle designed to enhance its Naval Diving Unit’s ability to conduct covert maritime special operations.
After estimating that the first Columbia-class submarine would be delivered 16 months late, the US Navy has recently confirmed that an additional month will be required to complete its construction.
Naval vessels are at high risk when in harbour, port or dockside and the threat from asymmetric attacks has been shown in the Ukraine war against Russian ships. A demonstration of combined systems in the UK hoped to show a potential solution to defence, government and commercial delegates.
After troubled progress with the Littoral Combat Ship programme, the US Navy plans to commission USS Pierre (LCS 38) this autumn.
The frigates are based on Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 design but are substantially changed and include a range of Turkish weapons such as radars, sonar, guns and electronic warfare systems.
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