Type 26 Global Combat Ship Programme

Military Capability

Record date: 31 March 2026

Whole-life cost: Not disclosed
Published schedule: 21/07/2008 – 31/01/2037
NISTA delivery confidence: Not disclosed
Senior responsible owner: Stephen Roberts

What the project is for

Type 26 Global Combat Ship Programme will procure 8 x Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) ships and associated support. The ships will deliver an interoperable, survivable, available, and adaptable capability that is operable globally within the maritime battlespace, to contribute to sea control for the Joint Force, and to contribute to maritime force projection and Joint Force command and control, with the flexibility to operate across, and within, the range and scale of contingent and non contingent operations. This eight ship programme will deliver Anti Submarine Warfare capability to protect strategic assets, sustain national shipbuilding capability, and increase the resilience of the Naval Service.

Departmental delivery commentary

Compared to financial year 24/25 Q4, the SRO Delivery Confidence Assessment (DCA) rating at 25/26 Q4 remained at Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. 1. Delay caused by a combination of outstanding engineering design volume, supply chain performance, and COVID 19 related slowdown resulted in a schedule rebaseline to programme Initial Operating Capability, which was approved in early 2022 by the MOD Investment Approvals Committee and HM Treasury. 2. Importantly, quality has not been compromised, and T26 Frigates will be world class ships.

Schedule

Compared to financial year 24/25-Q4, the programme end-date at 25/26-Q4 remained the same at 01/05/2035.

Cost

Exempt under Section 43 - Commercial interests

Benefits

Compared to financial year 24/25-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Benefits at 25/26-Q4 (measured in £m) remained at 0. This is primarily due to the following factors. No monetised benefits.