HMS Venturer, the first of five Type 31 frigates being constructed by Babcock for the Royal Navy, has rolled out of the purpose-built Venturer Building in Rosyth, a significant step in the delivery of the vessel into service.
Manufacturer Babcock and future operator, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), released simultaneous statements on 27 May hours after the roll-out of HMS Venturer had been completed to mark the milestone.
The transition from the construction phase into fit out saw the 5,700 tonne, 139m-long frigate positioned onto Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) to move the warship from the hall and onto hard standing.
The Type 31 frigates will replace five old general purpose variants of the Type 23 frigates, most of which have been decommissioned, leaving the Royal Navy’s surface combatant force at an all-time low ebb and chronically short of vessels.
Based on the Danish Iver Huitfeldt design, the Type 31 have been built to a modular concept in order to allow for future upgrades at various points in their service life, such as the integration of the MK41 vertical launch system during recertification and capability insertion periods.
Cdre Steve Roberts, Type 31 Senior Responsible Owner, said: “I look forward with anticipation to the moment when we will see HMS Venturer enter the water in the very near future.”
After the ship has completed float-off, HMS Venturer will return to Rosyth to undergo extensive outfitting and systems integration in dock before sea trials and entering operational service.
HMS Venturer and the Type 31: a timeline
The build of HMS Venturer and its sister ships has progressed at pace following contract award to Babcock in 2019.
At current pace, the time taken from first steel cut of a Type 31 frigate to planned service entry is around six years, significantly faster than the Type 26 frigates being manufactured for the Royal Navy by fellow UK defence prime BAE Systems.
Three of the five Type 31 frigates (HMS Venturer, HMS Active, and HMS Formidable) are now in various stages of build at Babcock’s Rosyth shipyard, with a further two vessels, HMS Bulldog and HMS Campbeltown, to follow.
While all five are due to enter service with the Royal Navy by 2030, it is more likely that all five will be classed as having been delivered by this point, pending work up into service.
In 2023, Babcock warned that it would make a loss on the Type 31 programme, entering a despite resolution process (DRP) with the MoD to determine liability for increased costs with up to £100m in additional funds needed. The 2019 contract specified a per-unit cost of £250m, not included the value of equipment and systems taken from the outgoing Type 23 frigates.
The DRP was subsequently paused pending discussions between Babcock and the MoD.
As it turns out, the Type 31 will be outfitted with predominantly new systems, introducing a new main gun, secondary gun, radar, and combat management system into Royal Navy service.
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