Babcock has laid the keel of the Royal Navy’s third future Inspiration-class frigate, the HMS Formidable (F11), in Rosyth, Scotland.
The ceremony marks a major production milestone for the Type 31 initiative, which aims to deliver up to five modern warships within 10 years of the contract signing in 2019.
Construction of the Formidable began in October 2024, while the HMS Venturer (F12), the lead ship of the Inspiration class, is already afloat for final outfitting.
The second ship, HMS Active (F08), is scheduled to launch in 2026, and steel cutting for the fourth hull, HMS Bulldog (F09), is also planned for that year.
The names of the Type 31 frigates are based on previous British military vessels notable for their service.
Each vessel under the effort is valued at 250 million pounds ($334.4 million), with the overall program expected to cost around 2 billion pounds ($2.6 billion). The effort supports 2,500 skilled jobs across Scotland and the UK, while also creating 400 apprenticeships.
Once inducted, the frigates will replace part of the aging Type 23 or Duke-class fleet, which has been operational since the 1980s, and undertake general-purpose missions ranging from maritime security to humanitarian response.
Components for AUKUS
Simultaneously with the event, Babcock announced an expanded partnership with American shipbuilder HII that will see the Rosyth center manufacture complex assemblies for the US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines.
Work will build on existing missile-tube work linked to the trilateral AUKUS defense cooperation between Australia, the UK, and the US, which tests, develops, and integrates manned and unmanned military technologies that reinforce deterrence strategies between the member countries’ armed forces.
“Today’s announcement represents another vote of confidence in the workers and skills of Scotland’s defence industry,” British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
“The UK Government is proud to wholeheartedly support Scottish defence workers on the world stage, delivering prosperity and opportunity in communities right across Scotland.”
