Babcock International has marked two significant milestones in the Royal Navy Type 31 Inspiration-class frigate program at its Rosyth shipyard in Scotland.
The company began construction of HMS Bulldog with a formal steel-cutting ceremony, signaling the start of work on the fourth of five vessels. It also completed assembly of HMS Active, making it the second frigate to exit the yard in preparation for launch.
The ships are being built using a modular construction method, allowing equipment and onboard systems to be installed while hull sections remain in assembly halls. The program draws on a broad supply chain that includes UK-based and international partners, among them numerous small and medium-sized enterprises.
Progress on Type 31 Frigates
The five frigates are intended to provide the Royal Navy with adaptable surface combat capabilities, supporting missions ranging from interception and intelligence collection to defensive tasks and humanitarian assistance.
These latest steps follow other 2025 milestones, including the rollout of HMS Venturer and the keel laying of HMS Formidable. Babcock also secured an $84 million contract for the Capability Insertion Period to integrate and test system upgrades aimed at boosting operational performance.
In addition, Babcock signed a memorandum of understanding with BAE Systems Bofors to coordinate in-service support for the naval guns installed on all five ships, covering both the Mk3 and lighter Mk4 variants.
