'Commit the orders': Former Navy Commander urges more support for UK shipbuilding
A former Royal Navy Commander says the Government needs to get the cheque book out and order more vessels to secure the future of British shipbuilding after a UK yard missed out on a lucrative contract with Sweden.
Babcock, the firm building the Type 31 frigate for the service, failed in its bid to supply four ships to the Royal Swedish Navy, with the French FDI ship being preferred for the fleet's Luleå-class vessels.
The deal is believed to be worth more than $4 billion and would secure work at the Rosyth Dockyard, which is currently building five Type 31s for the Royal Navy.
Tom Sharpe, who was commanding officer of four warships during his 27-year career in the service, said it is a blow for the industry and the MOD should be looking to do more to support shipbuilding.
"We are still determining that this whole business of defence is unaffordable, and the Treasury are holding the whip hand, and it's putting Number 10 and the Ministry of Defence in this impossible position, and companies are going under as a result," he said.
"We have to be much, much more decisive. We never give the yards the confidence to scale up.
"Let's not forget the Batch 2 OPVs only exist because we delayed the Type 26 build by so long.
'Commit the orders'
"They needed something to fill the order book and so we got these great little ships that are doing sterling work around the world, but we're never part of the Navy's plan.
"Imagine that being your strategy?"
He went on: "I could say that the Type 26 prospects are good – I think that's going to be a world-beater.
"The Type 31 prospects could be very, very good – we've got to put our back behind it and then get our cheque book out.
"Maybe dust off the national shipbuilding strategy whilst they're doing it; that's been completely, completely sidelined.
"That was a decent document, get that going, commit the orders.
"We're so bad at having the courage to go, right, this is what we need to do. And then financially backing it.
Speed of delivery
"Of course, the entire business of defence finances is up for grabs right now.
"The magic defence investment paper, one year on from the defence review on which it's based, still hasn't been published."
Sweden chose the French design due to speed of delivery, with the first ship being delivered by 2030 and one being supplied every year as well as the maturity of design and integrated combat systems alongside the opportunity to share costs with other suppliers.
The first FDI ship underwent sea trials in 2024 while the first Type 31 only completed its first entry into the water in the Forth last year.
'Eager to engage'
Chairman and CEO of Naval Group Pierre Éric Pommellet said: "We are extremely honoured to have been selected by the Swedish Ministry of Defence.
"We are now eager to engage with the Swedish authorities and partners in the execution of this strategic project.
"The FDI will provide the Royal Swedish Navy with a latest-generation frigate and extended capabilities in all warfare domains with rapid delivery timeline, to meet the operational needs expressed by the Ministry of Defence.
"This selection also reinforces our strategic partnership with Sweden and shows the strength of industrial cooperation in Europe. We are proud to contribute to securing Europe."
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