The people and city of Glasgow have been honoured as the Royal Navy’s most advanced anti-submarine warfare warship was officially named HMS Glasgow.
The naming ceremony at BAE Systems’ shipyard in Glasgow was attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales. Smashing a bottle of whisky against the hull for good luck, Her Royal Highness formally named HMS Glasgow and declared the time-honoured words:
“I name this ship Glasgow. May God bless her and all who serve in her.”
The Type 26 frigate is the first of eight to enter service and will provide critical protection for the UK’s nuclear deterrent and aircraft carriers. The Type 26 programme represents a £7.9 billion investment in British shipbuilding.
It directly supports 2,000 jobs in Scotland, including apprenticeships, at BAE Systems’ Govan and Scotstoun shipyards in Glasgow, with a further 4,000 roles sustained across the wider UK supply chain until 2035.
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:
“HMS Glasgow represents the best of British engineering and shipbuilding. The warship will serve as a formidable defender of our national security and a powerful asset for NATO in an increasingly dangerous world. The shipbuilding programme supports thousands of highly-skilled jobs in Scotland and across the UK.”
Equipped with sophisticated weapons systems, advanced sensors, and state-of-the-art communications technology, HMS Glasgow will ensure our Royal Navy makes Britain secure at home and strong abroad.
