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| MoD reveals design of Royal Navy future warships | MoD reveals design of Royal Navy future warships |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| By Jonathan Beale Defence correspondent, BBC News | By Jonathan Beale Defence correspondent, BBC News |
| The design of the Royal Navy's latest warship has been revealed by the Ministry of Defence. | The design of the Royal Navy's latest warship has been revealed by the Ministry of Defence. |
| The announcement on the Type 26 Global Combat Ship has been described by officials as a "significant milestone" in a programme which will support "thousands of UK shipbuilding jobs". | The announcement on the Type 26 Global Combat Ship has been described by officials as a "significant milestone" in a programme which will support "thousands of UK shipbuilding jobs". |
| Basic specification images show sleek stealth features, familiar to modern warships, making them harder to detect. | Basic specification images show sleek stealth features, familiar to modern warships, making them harder to detect. |
| The ship will be 148 metres long with a displacement of 5,400 tonnes. | The ship will be 148 metres long with a displacement of 5,400 tonnes. |
| The MoD has been working with BAE Systems since 2010 to determine the basic design for the ship. Detailed specifications of the vessel will now be examined. | The MoD has been working with BAE Systems since 2010 to determine the basic design for the ship. Detailed specifications of the vessel will now be examined. |
| Vertical missile silos for a range of weapons, such as cruise missiles, will be housed on board along with a medium calibre gun. | Vertical missile silos for a range of weapons, such as cruise missiles, will be housed on board along with a medium calibre gun. |
| The hangar on board will house a Merlin or Wildcat helicopter and there will be extra space for unmanned drones, underwater vehicles or other specialist equipment. | The hangar on board will house a Merlin or Wildcat helicopter and there will be extra space for unmanned drones, underwater vehicles or other specialist equipment. |
| Minister for defence equipment, Peter Luff, said: "The Type 26 will be the backbone of the Royal Navy for decades to come. | Minister for defence equipment, Peter Luff, said: "The Type 26 will be the backbone of the Royal Navy for decades to come. |
| "It is designed to be adaptable and easily upgraded, reacting to threats as they change." | "It is designed to be adaptable and easily upgraded, reacting to threats as they change." |
| 'Multi-mission warship' | 'Multi-mission warship' |
| The current plan is to build 13 of the ships, which are due to start coming into service after 2020. | The current plan is to build 13 of the ships, which are due to start coming into service after 2020. |
| The Type 26 will replace the 13 Type 23 frigates but the MoD is not giving a precise commitment on numbers until they know the unit cost . | |
| The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, says the ship will be used "across the full spectrum of warfare". | The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, says the ship will be used "across the full spectrum of warfare". |
| He added: "The T26 GCS will be a multi-mission warship designed for joint and multinational operations... including complex combat operations, maritime security operations such as counter piracy, as well as humanitarian and disaster relief work around the world." | He added: "The T26 GCS will be a multi-mission warship designed for joint and multinational operations... including complex combat operations, maritime security operations such as counter piracy, as well as humanitarian and disaster relief work around the world." |
| The concept of the Type 26 was born at the end of the 1990s as the Future Surface Combatant. | The concept of the Type 26 was born at the end of the 1990s as the Future Surface Combatant. |
| Cost effective | Cost effective |
| BAE Systems was awarded a contract of £127m in 2010 to work on the initial design. | BAE Systems was awarded a contract of £127m in 2010 to work on the initial design. |
| Geoff Searle, BAE's Programme Director, said a team of 350 people have been involved in the work including marine engineers, designers and accountants. | Geoff Searle, BAE's Programme Director, said a team of 350 people have been involved in the work including marine engineers, designers and accountants. |
| One big change with previous designs is the ship's mission-bay next to the helicopter hangar which will provide extra space for specialist equipment, depending on the operation. | One big change with previous designs is the ship's mission-bay next to the helicopter hangar which will provide extra space for specialist equipment, depending on the operation. |
| The hangar could house anything from aerial and underwater unmanned drones, to speed boats or containers for humanitarian aid. | The hangar could house anything from aerial and underwater unmanned drones, to speed boats or containers for humanitarian aid. |
| The modular design means it will be constructed in sections, possibly at different sites around the UK. | The modular design means it will be constructed in sections, possibly at different sites around the UK. |
| Mr Searle says the design team has also ensured the ship is both cost effective and flexible for other navies. | Mr Searle says the design team has also ensured the ship is both cost effective and flexible for other navies. |
| BAE is already working with a number of countries and Brazil is thought to have expressed an interest in the Type 26. | BAE is already working with a number of countries and Brazil is thought to have expressed an interest in the Type 26. |