The Type 23 Duke-class frigates initially included 16 ships. Credit: Rab Lawrence/Flickr (Creative Commons).

The UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) International Guns, Missiles and Rockets Project Team has decided to award Leonardo a £14m ($18m) contract for the gun system automation Mk8 (GSA8) post design services (PDS) for the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate fleet.  

This five-year agreement focuses on the ongoing repair and maintenance services for the weapons system. 

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Located in Bristol, the procurement falls under the ‘services’ category and is a move to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of the Royal Navy’s arsenal.  

The procurement method was limited and directly awarded to Leonardo, the original equipment manufacturer of the GSA8, citing the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 for technical reasons.  

The procurement stage reached the award stage on 4 November 2024.  

The Type 23 Duke-class frigates initially included 16 ships, all designed for anti-submarine warfare during the Cold War.  

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Each ship in the class is equipped with a 4.5-inch MK8 medium calibre gun and Harpoon long-range anti-ship missiles. 

Ministry of Defence State Minister Lord Coaker recently addressed a parliamentary question confirming that nine Type 23 frigates are currently in service, with six ships ready for operational deployment.  

The inquiry was raised by Lord West of Spithead, who sought clarity on the Royal Navy’s active frigate numbers. 

Lord Coaker said: “The normal operating cycle of every ship involves them entering different readiness levels depending on their programmes, periods of refit and departmental planning requirements.  

“The Royal Navy will be transitioning from Type 23 Frigates to two new classes, Type 26 and Type 31, over the next decade.” 

In September 2024, the Royal Navy fitted HMS Glasgow, the first Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigate, with the Mk 45 Mod 4A weapon system.  

This marks a transition to a 62-calibre, five-inch/127mm gun from the Mark 8 Mod 1 system used on the Type 23 frigates and Type 45 air defence destroyers.