{"id":17492,"date":"2018-03-02T16:16:51","date_gmt":"2018-03-02T16:16:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/02\/british-type-26-frigates-to-get-lockheed-missile-launcher\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:37:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:37:19","slug":"british-type-26-frigates-to-get-lockheed-missile-launcher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/naval\/2018\/03\/02\/british-type-26-frigates-to-get-lockheed-missile-launcher\/","title":{"rendered":"British Type 26 frigates to get Lockheed missile launcher"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LONDON \u2014 Britain\u2019s Royal Navy is to equip it\u2019s new Type 26 frigate fleet<\/a> with Lockheed Martin\u2019s Mk 41 Vertical Launching System for missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warship-builder BAE Systems<\/a> has signed up Lockheed Martin to deliver Mk 41s for the first three of the anti-submarine warfare frigates it has under contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Royal Navy is currently slated to operate a fleet of eight Type 26 frigates, with the first of the warships being handed over in the middle of the next decade to replace Type 23 frigates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deal brings to 13 the number of navies operating the Mk 46. The U.S., Australia, Germany and Japan are among the users of the system, however, it\u2019s the first time the Royal Navy has purchased the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Type 45 anti-air destroyers operated by the British use the Sylver vertical launch system, built by France\u2019s Naval Group, to fire its MBDA-developed Aster missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each of the Type 26 frigates will be equipped with three eight-cell MK 41 VLS modules. BAE\u2019s initial order includes nine MK 41 modules, sufficient for the first three ships of the class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ministry of Defence mandated the Mk 41 buy as part of a single-soure deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A rendering of BAE Systems Type 26 Global Combat Ship. (Credit: BAE)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nadia Savage, director of the Type 26 program at BAE, said the \u201cvertical launching system contributes to our overall combat management system and will further enhance platform flexibility and capability, which are core to the design of the Type 26.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The British have yet to publicly specify the missile types to be deployed in the Mk 41, but the launcher system has the flexibility to simultaneously operate anti-surface, land-attack, anti-air and anti-submarine weapons.<\/p>\n\n\n\t