The first of five Royal Navy Type 31 frigates being built by Babcock International, the future HMS Venturer, has entered the water for the first time.
The 140-metre vessel, which was rolled out of the construction shed at Babcock’s shipyard in Rosyth, Scotland, at the end of last month, was floated off and lowered into the water in Leith last week before being towed back to the Rosyth shipyard to continue to her outfitting and systems integration.
Chief Executive of Babcock Marine Sir Nick Hine admitted: “There is a moment of wonder, even for a lifelong sailor like me, to see a new Royal Navy ship taking to the water for the first time.”
He added: “HMS Venturer’s first entry into the water is a clear demonstration of UK sovereign capability in action and the depth, resilience and expertise within Babcock’s Marine business.
“This latest milestone exhibits the excellent progress being made across our multi-build programme, which will see us deliver five complex warships for the Royal Navy within a decade.”
The lead ship of the Inspiration class, Venturer’s Arrowhead 140 design is an evolution of the Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates in service with the Danish Navy. She has a 5,700-tonne displacement and will be able to achieve a maximum speed of roughly 26 knots.
Her construction has required 26,000 metres of pipe — that’s almost three times the height of Everest — and enough cable to run the length of Loch Ness ten times over. She’s also covered in about 5,000 litres of paint.
In service, she will be operated by a crew of around 100-120, with additional space for a further 40 personnel. As Commander Chris Cozens, the HMS Venturer’s Senior Naval Officer, has previously noted: “A broad statistic that we’ve figured out is that we’re 60% larger in size, as in tonnage and physical size to a Type 23, but we will be operating with about 60% of the ship’s company.”
- Download our free “Frigates Of The Future” report featuring an in-depth interview with Cdr. Cozens.
He added last week: “Getting Venturer’s feet wet is not just a showpiece, it is the culmination of the structural stage of build before the rest of the fit out and commissioning completes.
“It has been impressive to see the pride and teamwork in the industrial staff, MoD and Royal Navy. There is a single aim to make Type 31 the best it can be and fit to be a next-generation frigate, delivering maritime security and humanitarian disaster relief around the world.”
A flight deck on the stern of the Inspiration-class ships provides the capability to operate with a Merlin or Wildcat helicopter. Each Type 31 frigate offers 119 sq m of mission space, which can accommodate up to six 20ft ISO containers, allowing the frigates to change its capabilities to suit the mission.
The Type 31 frigates will feature a sophisticated combat system that includes the Sea Ceptor missile system, while boat bays will allow them to launch and recover PAC-24 boats to support boarding operations, anti-narcotics and piracy missions, as well as providing assistance to other maritime craft.
Once commissioned into active service, the general-purpose frigates will be deployed globally to undertake all manner of roles from counter-piracy and maritime security operations to humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions.
HMS Venturer is the first of five planned Type 31 ships; the second, the future HMS Active, is already under construction, with Formidable, Bulldog and Campbeltown to follow. All five vessels are scheduled to enter service with the Royal Navy by the early 2030s.
- You can read more details on the Babcock International website and the Royal Navy website
