Anti-sub warship builders on Clyde hailed by defence chief

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace praised the “remarkable achievement” of shipbuilders as the new frigate HMS Glasgow was moved on to the Clyde for the first time.

The Type 26 ship is structurally complete and has been slowly rolled from the shipyard’s hard standing in Govan, Glasgow, on to a barge for transport down river.

The 488ft warship will be taken to deeper water where the barge will be submerged, allowing HMS Glasgow to float for the first time.

It is expected to enter service around the middle of the decade as its systems and weapons are still to be installed.

Mr Wallace visited the shipyard yesterday where he saw the frigate being rolled on to the barge.

He said: “I think it’s a remarkable achievement by the workforce here, who’ve built the world’s leading anti-submarine ship.”

Mr Wallace said the first Type 26 ship was coming out of the shipyard late but not “catastrophically” so, saying he is confident HMS Glasgow and the other frigates will enter service in time.

He added: “The one thing (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is going to have left after his illegal invasion is a navy and an air force.

“He uses his submarines, and they are good submarines, very well to intimidate.

“We’ve seen worries about critical national infrastructure, gas pipelines, internet cables. We need ships that are going to hunt those submarines or deter them.”