First steel cut for HMS Belfast

30th June 2021 - 18:00 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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The Duke toured HMSGlasgow and met with employees who are delivering the programme following the ceremony. (Photo: BAE Systems)

Prince William has begun construction of HMS Belfast by setting the plasma cutting machine to work on the first plate of steel for HMS Belfast.

His Royal Highness, Prince William, set the plasma cutting machine to work on the first plate of steel for the third Type 26 frigate, HMS Belfast, during a steel-cut ceremony at BAE System’s shipyard.

This event marks an important step in the programme to deliver the UK’s latest anti-submarine warfare capability to the Royal Navy.

All three of the first batch of City-class frigates are now under construction.

The UK-sourced steel plate will form part of a unit that will contain the machinery space for the gearbox and stabilisers of HMS Belfast.

In April 2021, the first of class, HMS Glasgow, was rolled out of the build hall into the open for the first time. The ship is not due to begin sea trials before 2025 and will not enter service before 2027.

Meanwhile, the construction of HMS Cardiff is progressing well, with more than 40% of the ship’s units in build at the company’s Govan shipyard.

According to Shephard Defence Insight, the Type 26 frigates are designed to replace the existing fleet of ageing Type 23 Duke-class anti-submarine warfare frigates.