The Type 31e is a third of the price of another frigate being built by BAEThe Royal Navy will buy at least five budget frigates under a plan being announced today that aims to inject competition into Britain’s warship-building market, which is dominated by BAE Systems. The Type 31e frigate is expected to cost a maximum of £250 million — about a third of the price of another new generation of frigate — the Type 26 — that is being built by BAE Systems at a shipyard in Scotland. The first version of the “stripped-down” model, which has yet to be designed or fully budgeted, is due to be commissioned into the navy within six years, potentially coming into service before the larger, more complex but vastly more expensive Type 26 frigate. Sir Michael Fallon, the defence secretary, said the…

Source: The Times September 05, 2017 23:02 UTC