Britain’s newest generation of warships has reached a major milestone, with HMS Glasgow successfully generating her own power for the first time.
BAE Systems confirmed that diesel generators aboard the Royal Navy’s first Type 26 frigate have now been switched on, allowing the ship to self-power as construction continues on the Clyde.
The move marks a key step in the vessel’s build programme, bringing HMS Glasgow closer to full systems integration and eventual sea trials.
Hybrid power system comes online
The generators form a core component of the Type 26’s hybrid propulsion and power architecture, supplying electricity to onboard systems while also enabling quiet propulsion when required.
BAE Systems Maritime said the design delivers efficient and flexible power management across global operations, while supporting the ship’s primary role in anti-submarine warfare.
Low acoustic signature is central to the Type 26 concept, with power generation, auxiliary systems and internal routing all engineered to minimise noise and vibration, reducing the risk of detection.
Designed to hunt submarines
The Type 26 Global Combat Ship is optimised for anti-submarine warfare but is intended to operate as a highly adaptable, multi-mission frigate.
Quiet power generation is critical to that role, enabling the ship to operate sensitive sensors, combat systems and mission equipment while remaining difficult to track beneath the waves.
Backbone of the future surface fleet
HMS Glasgow is the first of 13 Type 26 frigates being built on the Clyde for the Royal Navy and the Royal Norwegian Navy, replacing the ageing Type 23 anti-submarine warfare frigates.
The class will form a central pillar of the UK’s future surface fleet and has also been selected by Canada and Australia for their own naval programmes.
BAE Systems said the successful power-up represents another significant step forward as outfitting continues at its Scottish shipyards.
