• Contact
  • About
  • Authors
DONATE
NEWSLETTER SIGN UP
  • Login
Bylines Scotland
  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Bylines Scotland Breaking News
    • Europe
    • King Charles III
    • Queen Elizabeth II
    • Scotland
    • War in Ukraine
    • World
    blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

    Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

    Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

    “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

    Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

    Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

    A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

    Saving Scotland’s tenements

    Ben Nevis. Forground has green shrubbery, then background a mountain with two tops. Blue sky with a few streaky clouds

    Exploring the Highest Mountain in the British Isles: A Guide to Ben Nevis

    Image via Steller Systems, a potential candidate.

    Cancelling future frigates could be final nail in the coffin for the UK

    A hospital corridor with trolleys on the sides.

    Glasgow hospitals halt non-urgent operations due to pressure

    A scene of people demonstrating, holding Scotland flags. One man wears a tartan cap and holds a blue flag with both the Scottish cross and the EU stars on it.

    Is Alister Jack sane?

    Cartoon by Stan

    Film reviews award season

    Trending Tags

    • Democracy
    • Devolution
    • Brexit
    • Ukraine
  • Politics
    • All
    • Council Areas
    • Europe
    • Holyrood
    • Liz Truss
    • Rest of UK
    • Tories
    • United Kingdom
    • Westminster
    • World
    blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

    Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

    A scene of people demonstrating, holding Scotland flags. One man wears a tartan cap and holds a blue flag with both the Scottish cross and the EU stars on it.

    Is Alister Jack sane?

    Image Malcom Laverty

    The Brown plan

    The climate change impacts of Russia’s war with Ukraine

    Britain wastes £1bn on drones to monitor English Channel

    The Autumn Statement – time to take a closer look

    Photo Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    Christmas cheer for Tesco if grim reading for the political classes

    Scottish independence isn’t going away

    Russia as a low-tech nation

    Trending Tags

    • Crime
    • Equality
    • Johnson
    • Scottish National Party
  • Business
    • All
    • Agriculture
    • Aviation
    • Corporations
    • Energy
    • Fishing
    • Natural Resources
    • Shipbuilding
    • Trade
    • Transport
    • Workers
    A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

    Saving Scotland’s tenements

    A large red researcgh vessel in the sea with ice sheets all around it on the water.

    Rosyth shipyard attracts UK Government contract to maintain fleet of scientific research vessels

    large posts saying 'Glasgow Airport Business Park' on the left and right of a road leading away from the main road in the front. . On that road leading away building with walls almost entirely existing of windows.

    Why doing business in Scotland may be better for your corporate wellbeing

    A mountain of spools forming a tree on the left, a sandy area to the right and a row of houses at the back. mountains in the distance on the right

    The Ullapool Giving Tree

    Electric off-roader heralds return of vehicle mass-production in Scotland after 40 years

    Photo Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    Christmas cheer for Tesco if grim reading for the political classes

    Ferguson Marine will weather the storm

    Order placed for remaining five Type 26 Frigates on the Clyde

    Police Scotland not investigating Scottish government over ferry contract criminality

    Trending Tags

    • Health
      • All
      • Assisted dying
      • Covid
      • Influenza
      • Polio virus
      • Respiratory
      • Scientific Research
      Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

      “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

      Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

      Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

      A hospital corridor with trolleys on the sides.

      Glasgow hospitals halt non-urgent operations due to pressure

      Two more unions reject Scottish Government NHS pay offer

      GMB union reject Scottish Government pay offer to NHS staff

      Lymphocites gathering

      How careful should we be when choosing a scientific term?

      Code Black – A mayday from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

      The challenges facing mental health care in Scotland

      Illustration by author

      What are the boundaries to push science to its safety limits for the benefit of discoveries?

      Trending Tags

      • Environment
        • All
        • Air Pollution
        • Biology
        • Climate Change
        • Wildfires
        Ardnish wildfire by Leslie Barrie, CC BY-SA 2.0 Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic — CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons'

        Fire threats in the Scottish countryside

        Wood stove at the foot of the bed in the Danish Blue room at Pig Hill Inn, Cold Spring, New York. Printed with permission and confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

        When smoke gets in your eyes

        Opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 in Egypt. Photo courtesy of the UNFCCC

        COP27 and the inconvenient truth

        Viscum album in trees

        Night of the strangling figs: a biological horror story

        Out & about with Charlie Mac: Cycling to the heart of Scotland – the National Cycle Network 7

        Scotland's mountain footpaths

        How do we care for Scotland’s mountain footpath network?

        climate science

        PM to be chosen by people with little grasp of climate science

        Trending Tags

        • Opinion
        No Result
        View All Result
        • Home
        • News
          • All
          • Bylines Scotland Breaking News
          • Europe
          • King Charles III
          • Queen Elizabeth II
          • Scotland
          • War in Ukraine
          • World
          blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

          Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

          Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

          “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

          Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

          Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

          A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

          Saving Scotland’s tenements

          Ben Nevis. Forground has green shrubbery, then background a mountain with two tops. Blue sky with a few streaky clouds

          Exploring the Highest Mountain in the British Isles: A Guide to Ben Nevis

          Image via Steller Systems, a potential candidate.

          Cancelling future frigates could be final nail in the coffin for the UK

          A hospital corridor with trolleys on the sides.

          Glasgow hospitals halt non-urgent operations due to pressure

          A scene of people demonstrating, holding Scotland flags. One man wears a tartan cap and holds a blue flag with both the Scottish cross and the EU stars on it.

          Is Alister Jack sane?

          Cartoon by Stan

          Film reviews award season

          Trending Tags

          • Democracy
          • Devolution
          • Brexit
          • Ukraine
        • Politics
          • All
          • Council Areas
          • Europe
          • Holyrood
          • Liz Truss
          • Rest of UK
          • Tories
          • United Kingdom
          • Westminster
          • World
          blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

          Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

          A scene of people demonstrating, holding Scotland flags. One man wears a tartan cap and holds a blue flag with both the Scottish cross and the EU stars on it.

          Is Alister Jack sane?

          Image Malcom Laverty

          The Brown plan

          The climate change impacts of Russia’s war with Ukraine

          Britain wastes £1bn on drones to monitor English Channel

          The Autumn Statement – time to take a closer look

          Photo Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

          Christmas cheer for Tesco if grim reading for the political classes

          Scottish independence isn’t going away

          Russia as a low-tech nation

          Trending Tags

          • Crime
          • Equality
          • Johnson
          • Scottish National Party
        • Business
          • All
          • Agriculture
          • Aviation
          • Corporations
          • Energy
          • Fishing
          • Natural Resources
          • Shipbuilding
          • Trade
          • Transport
          • Workers
          A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

          Saving Scotland’s tenements

          A large red researcgh vessel in the sea with ice sheets all around it on the water.

          Rosyth shipyard attracts UK Government contract to maintain fleet of scientific research vessels

          large posts saying 'Glasgow Airport Business Park' on the left and right of a road leading away from the main road in the front. . On that road leading away building with walls almost entirely existing of windows.

          Why doing business in Scotland may be better for your corporate wellbeing

          A mountain of spools forming a tree on the left, a sandy area to the right and a row of houses at the back. mountains in the distance on the right

          The Ullapool Giving Tree

          Electric off-roader heralds return of vehicle mass-production in Scotland after 40 years

          Photo Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

          Christmas cheer for Tesco if grim reading for the political classes

          Ferguson Marine will weather the storm

          Order placed for remaining five Type 26 Frigates on the Clyde

          Police Scotland not investigating Scottish government over ferry contract criminality

          Trending Tags

          • Health
            • All
            • Assisted dying
            • Covid
            • Influenza
            • Polio virus
            • Respiratory
            • Scientific Research
            Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

            “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

            Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

            Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

            A hospital corridor with trolleys on the sides.

            Glasgow hospitals halt non-urgent operations due to pressure

            Two more unions reject Scottish Government NHS pay offer

            GMB union reject Scottish Government pay offer to NHS staff

            Lymphocites gathering

            How careful should we be when choosing a scientific term?

            Code Black – A mayday from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

            The challenges facing mental health care in Scotland

            Illustration by author

            What are the boundaries to push science to its safety limits for the benefit of discoveries?

            Trending Tags

            • Environment
              • All
              • Air Pollution
              • Biology
              • Climate Change
              • Wildfires
              Ardnish wildfire by Leslie Barrie, CC BY-SA 2.0 Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic — CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons'

              Fire threats in the Scottish countryside

              Wood stove at the foot of the bed in the Danish Blue room at Pig Hill Inn, Cold Spring, New York. Printed with permission and confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

              When smoke gets in your eyes

              Opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 in Egypt. Photo courtesy of the UNFCCC

              COP27 and the inconvenient truth

              Viscum album in trees

              Night of the strangling figs: a biological horror story

              Out & about with Charlie Mac: Cycling to the heart of Scotland – the National Cycle Network 7

              Scotland's mountain footpaths

              How do we care for Scotland’s mountain footpath network?

              climate science

              PM to be chosen by people with little grasp of climate science

              Trending Tags

              • Opinion
              No Result
              View All Result
              Bylines Scotland
              No Result
              View All Result
              Home News Scotland Defence and Security

              Cancelling future frigates could be final nail in the coffin for the UK

              George Allison warns that cancelling the Type 32 frigates – not to be confused with the eight Type 26 and five Type 31 vessels already underway in Scotland – is likely to be “an act of national self-harm”.

              George AllisonbyGeorge Allison
              16-01-2023 13:38
              in Defence and Security, Scotland
              Image via Steller Systems, a potential candidate.

              Image via Steller Systems, a potential candidate.

              Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

              Rumours that the UK Government might cancel the Type 32 frigates – not to be confused with the eight Type 26 and five Type 31 vessels already underway in Scotland – have been described as “an act of national self-harm”.

              Britain is shooting itself in the foot

              Cancelling frigates that were supposed to increase the size of the Royal Navy fleet at a time of global tension and renewed challenge at sea for the West is like Britain shooting itself in the foot just before a race.

              I spoke to a contact at Rosyth, wishing to remain anonymous; he told me:

              “A strong Navy is important for protecting our country and projecting military power. Plus, building and maintaining these ships provide jobs and keep the shipbuilding industry healthy. It’s that simple. But when we as a nation cancel these projects, we’re not only weakening our Navy but also hurting our economy and employment. It’s a vicious cycle, if we don’t keep a steady stream of orders for ships, our shipbuilding industry will suffer.”

              Not only that, people in Scotland are used to chopping and changing of frigate orders and this will only serve to remove trust in the UK Government. While these aren’t part of the 13 frigates promised to Scotland (those were actually ordered, eventually), the newly planned vessels were expected to be built in Glasgow or Rosyth and it’s no secret that a continued drumbeat of orders is essential to keep the industry going. The status of the Type 32s, announced in 2021 and originally planned to sail in 2032, is highlighted in the table below.

              “Why do I believe this would be national self-harm? It’ll not only damage the industry; it’ll destroy any remaining trust many in Scotland might have that the UK is in their best interests. It might end not only the industry, it might also end the UK”, added my source.

              So, what happened?

              It was reported this week that the anticipated multibillion-pound investment in the long-term future of Scotland’s shipbuilding industry, in the form of the Type 32 frigate, may be eliminated or reduced in the upcoming defence review by Rishi Sunak. These vessels, touted long after the independence referendum, would continue to boost Scottish shipbuilding, providing a future beyond the current vessels alongside the Type 83 Destroyer.

              The latest uncertainty follows the announcement two years ago by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson of plans to construct five new Type 32 frigates with the aim of establishing Britain as the leading naval power in Europe.

              However, the project has encountered difficulties and has put a significant number of employment opportunities at risk. According to the report, insiders at the Ministry of Defence say that it is unlikely that the ships will be included in the defence review this spring as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt works to reconcile the country’s finances.

              Will Type 32 be scrapped?

              Officially, the current line is that they’ll be a “key part of the fleet”, but I don’t have a crystal ball. The recent rumours mentioned above add to a recent report from the National Audit Office that stated that the Royal Navy withdrew its plans for Type 32 frigates because of concerns about unaffordability. However, officially it is claimed that work on the project is continuing.

              The November 2022 report of the National Audit Office on The [Defence] Equipment Plan 2022-2032 stated that, in July 2022, “Navy Command withdrew its plans for Type 32 frigates and MRSS [Multi-Role Support Ships] because of concerns about unaffordability. The revised costing profile is likely to be significantly higher.”

              Addressing the above, John Healey, Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, asked, via a Parliamentary Written Question:

              “To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 20 of the NAO report on the Equipment Plan 2022 to 2032, HC 907, published on 29 November, for what reason Navy Command was concerned about the affordability of the Type 32 frigate programme.”

              Alex Chalk, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence, responded:

              “The Type 32 frigate programme remains a key part of the future fleet and is currently in the concept phase. Work continues to ensure the programme is affordable in order to deliver the ships the Navy and Marines need.”

              What will Type 32 frigates be able to do?

              In November 2021, former Royal Navy First Sea Lord Tony Radakin announced that the ship had entered its concept phase. He added that it was too early to define its characteristics, but being a “Type 31 Batch 2” frigate could be an option.

              The revised National Shipbuilding Strategy, released in March 2022, suggested that the Type 32 frigates were likely to be “the first of a new generation of warships with a focus on hosting and operating autonomous onboard systems.”

              Earlier comments by the UK’s Minister for Defence Procurement, Jeremy Quin, also suggested that the new Type 32 frigate will be a platform for autonomous systems, adding to the Royal Navy’s capabilities for missions such as anti-submarine warfare and mine countermeasures.

              If they do go ahead, they’ll enter service in 2032. If they don’t (or if no ships at all are ordered for this timeframe), say goodbye to a chunk of the UK shipbuilding industry and maybe even the UK itself.


              We need your help! The press in our country is dominated by billionaire-owned media, many offshore and avoiding paying tax. We are a citizen journalism publication but still have significant costs. If you believe in what we do, please consider subscribing to the Bylines Gazette 🙏

              Tags: Defence
              Previous Post

              Glasgow hospitals halt non-urgent operations due to pressure

              Next Post

              Exploring the Highest Mountain in the British Isles: A Guide to Ben Nevis

              George Allison

              George Allison

              George Allison is co-editor-in-chief at Bylines Scotland. He has a degree in cyber security from Glasgow Caledonian University. George has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on radio and television to discuss current events. He has been covering defence and cyber security for around ten years and has written for numerous publications around the world with a focus on issues ranging from Scottish shipbuilding to the South China Sea.

              Related Posts

              blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters
              Democracy

              Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

              byChristine Huebnerand1 others
              31 January 2023
              Healthcare word seen in a scrabble
              Health

              “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

              byCharlie McCarthy
              30 January 2023
              Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building
              Health

              Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

              byAshley Black
              27 January 2023
              A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street
              Business

              Saving Scotland’s tenements

              byPeter Brown
              27 January 2023
              Ben Nevis. Forground has green shrubbery, then background a mountain with two tops. Blue sky with a few streaky clouds
              Munros

              Exploring the Highest Mountain in the British Isles: A Guide to Ben Nevis

              byLisa West
              17 January 2023
              Next Post
              Ben Nevis. Forground has green shrubbery, then background a mountain with two tops. Blue sky with a few streaky clouds

              Exploring the Highest Mountain in the British Isles: A Guide to Ben Nevis

              Subscribe to our newsletters
              CHOOSE YOUR NEWS
              Follow us on social media
              CHOOSE YOUR PLATFORMS
              Download our app
              ALL OF BYLINES IN ONE PLACE
              Subscribe to our gazette
              CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SUSTAINABILITY
              Make a monthly or one-off donation
              DONATE NOW
              Help us with our hosting costs
              SIGN UP TO SITEGROUND
              We are always looking for citizen journalists
              WRITE FOR US
              Volunteer as an editor, in a technical role, or on social media
              VOLUNTEER FOR US
              Something else?
              GET IN TOUCH
              Previous
              Next

              LATEST

              blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

              Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

              31 January 2023
              Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

              “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

              30 January 2023
              Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

              Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

              27 January 2023
              A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

              Saving Scotland’s tenements

              27 January 2023

              MOST READ

              blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

              Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

              31 January 2023
              close up picture of part of a violin

              Amateur orchestra delivers rousing performance in first post-lockdown concert

              26 January 2023
              top part of a british tax form.

              Taxes don’t pay for services – so what are they for?

              12 January 2023
              A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

              Saving Scotland’s tenements

              27 January 2023

              BROWSE BY TAGS

              Alister Jack Brexit Christmas Climate change cost of living crisis Covid Culture Defence Democracy Devolution Gender Recognition Reform Glasgow Halloween health History Holyrood independence IndyRef2 Johnson Journalism Liz Truss Long Covid Monarchy nationalism NATO NHS Nicola Sturgeon politics Poverty Putin Russia Sars-CoV-2 Scotland Security Security and Defence shipbuilding SNP Sunak Supreme Court Tories Tourism Twitter Ukraine UK Supreme Court War in Ukraine
              Bylines Scotland

              We are a not-for-profit citizen journalism publication. Our aim is to publish well-written, fact-based articles and opinion pieces on subjects that are of interest to people in Scotland and beyond.

              Bylines Scotland is a trading brand of Bylines Network Limited, which is a sister organisation to Byline Times.

              Learn more about us

              No Result
              View All Result
              • Bylines network
              • About
              • Authors
              • Contact
              • Donate
              • Privacy

              © 2022 Bylines Scotland. Citizen Journalism | Local & Internationalist

              No Result
              View All Result
              • Home
              • News
                • Scotland
                • World
              • Politics
                • Council Areas
                • Europe
                • Holyrood
                • Rest of UK
                • Westminster
              • Business
                • Fishing
                • Trade
                • Transport
              • Health
              • Environment
                • Climate Change
              • Opinion
              • Donate

              © 2022 Bylines Scotland. Citizen Journalism | Local & Internationalist

              Welcome Back!

              Login to your account below

              Forgotten Password?

              Retrieve your password

              Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

              Log In