The Royal Navy’s comeback begins: the Type 31 frigate looks like a powerhouse

What you need to know: The Royal Navy’s new shipbuilding strategy aims to regain maritime prominence with the construction of five Type 31 frigates. These Inspiration-class ships are designed as versatile general-purpose ships capable of surface warfare, air defense and intelligence collection.

-The Type 31 frigates are larger than their predecessors and require fewer crews while packing powerful weapons including a 57mm gun, a Sea Ceptor air defense system and a 32-cell Mark 41 Vertical Launching System.

-The HMS Formidablecurrently being built in Scotland, is one of five ships expected to enter service in 2027, boosting the Royal Navy’s global deterrent capabilities.

Royal Navy Type 31 frigates: a new era of sea power begins

It’s been a while since the Royal Navy ruled the waves. But now, under a new shipbuilding strategy, Britain is seeking to regain some of its former glory at sea and once again become a force to be reckoned with.

As part of this strategy, the Royal Navy is building five frigates of an entirely new class, the Type 31 frigate.

Type 31 frigate

The Royal Navy began work on its third Type 31 Inspiration-class frigate. The third warship of the class, named HMS Formidable, is being built in Rosyth, Scotland, alongside HMS Venturer and HMS Active. London expects to have all five Type 31 frigates ready by the end of this decade, with the first warship entering service around 2027.

“This government wants to make Britain safe at home and strong abroad. These frigates will form the core of the Royal Navy fleet, deterring aggression and supporting our military,” Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said.

“Today’s important milestone is to support the Government’s mission to grow the economy by supporting thousands of jobs in Scotland and across the UK,” Pollard added.

Type 31 frigates are all designed as general purpose ships, meaning they are jacks of all trades, but masters of none. In terms of mission sets, the Type 31 frigates will be capable of carrying out surface warfare, air warfare, ground attack and intelligence gathering missions.

The Inspiration-class ships will be almost 60 percent larger than the Type 23 frigates they will replace. But even though they are larger, the new warships will require only sixty percent of the manpower of the old ships. Type 31 frigates will have approximately 120 officers and sailors.

“This is a momentous occasion for everyone involved and we are proud to have marked this important milestone in this way,” said Commodore Stephen Roberts, Royal Navy Senior Responsible Owner for the Type 31 programme.

“When completed, this remarkable fleet of general purpose frigates will provide an impressive capability for (the) Royal Navy and play a major role in the continued security and prosperity of our nation,” the Royal Navy officer added.

In terms of weapon systems, Type 31 frigates will pack a 57mm main gun capable of countering threats at sea, in the air and on land, two 40mm Bofors guns, the Sea Ceptor air defense system and a 32-cell Mark 41 guns. Vertical Launching System (VLS), which can carry anti-ship, anti-aircraft and ground attack missiles. The frigates will also have a helicopter on board.

More and more countries are investing in frigates as a cheaper and faster option for surface combatants. For example, the US Navy is bringing frigates back into its fleet with the Constellation class, after a ten-year hiatus without frigates in the active roster.

With the Type 31 frigates, the Royal Navy is looking to get back into the game and increase the UK’s overall deterrent capabilities.

About the author:

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist, specialized in special operations and a veteran of the Greek Army (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MA from Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx and SOFREP.

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