Three of five Type 31 frigates are now in various stages of build by naval prime Babcock. Credit: Babcock via LinkedIn

The build of HMS Active has progressed with the lift and turn of the final double bottom section of the second Type 31 frigate being built for the UK Royal Navy, a key milestone in the construction programme.

Announced by Babcock in a social media post, the latest step on HMS Active followed the lift and turn of the first section of the keep for HMS Formidable, the third-in-class of the Type 31 frigates, earlier in February.

Planned to replace five general purpose Type 23 warships that have either left or are due to leave Royal Navy service, the Type 31 frigates are part of a two-pronged approach to try to increase the number of major surface combatants, which is at an all-time low.

The commissioning into service for the Type 31 frigates is running to an extremely tight timeframe, with the final ship-in-class, HMS Campbeltown, due to become operational in 2030-31 timeframe. It is possible that HMS Venturer enters service in early-to-mid 2027.

Design changes of the Type 31 to include the MK 41 vertical launch system could see early ships such as HMS Venturer and HMS Active have the capability fitted during an insertion period, likely during a warships reclassification process after five- or six-years’ service.

Latter vessels, potentially from HMS Formidable onwards, could have their design changed to incorporate the MK 41 from the outset, leading to a two-variant class of Type 31 frigates, at least for early service years.

Type 23 frigate HMS Portland enters 6 Dock

Meanwhile, Type 23 frigate HMS Portland as entered 6 Dock at HMNB Devonport for what Babcock described as “essential maintenance”, in an early-March post.

Just eight Type 23 frigates are still operational with the UK Royal Navy, down from a class of 16 vessels originally manufactured. HMS Portland is not due to leave service until around 2034 and was the second-to-last Type 23 frigate to enter service.

The departure of the Type 23 frigates has accelerated in recent years, with five vessels axed since 2021. The Chilean Navy acquired three Type 23s from the UK in the mid-2000s.