There has been progress in building the Royal Navy’s new anti-submarine frigates and any slippage may be “clawed back” as the project recovers from the pandemic, a defence minister of state has said.

The Earl of Minto, representing the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in the House of Lords, emphasised the progress in the Type 26 frigate programme and praised the “remarkable” investment at the BAE Systems shipyard in Govan, Glasgow.

Last week, the Earl visited HMS Cardiff, the second Type 26 frigate being built in Glasgow.

• Watch: Drone footage shows construction progress of HMS Cardiff
• New Type 26 frigate HMS Glasgow successfully enters the water 
• Type 26 frigates: Navy’s City-class explained

According to reports, HMS Cardiff is expected to be taken down the Clyde in the second half of this year before being fitted out in Scotstoun, where the first ship of the class – HMS Glasgow – is currently having its systems installed.

The frigates are expected to begin their service with the Navy starting in October 2028, a year later than initially planned.

‘Claw back’ losses

Asked if there had been any change in the latest deadlines, the Earl of Minto said: “There was obviously some slippage from the initial deadlines and that was driven by Covid.

“But I don’t think there’s been any change. In fact, if anything, they are trying to claw back some of those initial losses.

“Actually having gone through what we’ve seen today, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they don’t succeed in doing that.”

A new enclosed hall is currently being built next to BAE’s existing facility and work on the frigates is expected to speed up considerably once it is complete.

Conservative peer Timothy Lariston Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound said BAE has made a “quite remarkable” investment in the Glasgow shipyard and Scotland has an “extremely important” role in naval shipbuilding.

Earlier in February, the Royal Navy’s flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth was unable to sail on a major Nato exercise after a defect in its propeller shaft coupling was discovered.

Repairs will be carried out at the dockyard in Rosyth, Fife, but the Earl of Minto said the problem is not currently believed to be as serious as the propeller shaft issues that led to nine months of work on its sister aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales.