Production of the first Type 26 Global Combat Ship for the Royal Navy has started at BAE Systems’ Glasgow shipyard.

The first of eight City class frigates will be named HMS Glasgow and is due to enter service in the mid-2020s.

BAE Systems Australia chief executive Glynn Phillips highlighted the importance of this milestone for Australia and the SEA 5000 Future Frigate program.

“The commencement of construction of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship, the world’s first and only bow-to-stern digitally designed anti-submarine warfare frigate, is an important milestone for Australia,” Phillips said in a statement on July 20.

“BAE Systems will be offering the Australian variant of the Type 26 – the Global Combat Ship-Australia – to the Commonwealth’s SEA 5000 program.

“With UK production commencing well ahead of SEA 5000 in Australia, our solution for the Commonwealth will benefit from the lessons learnt during the Type 26 build and commissioning.”

BAE Systems has been awarded a contract to manufacture the first three ships for the Type 26 program.

“At the time of cut steel, the maturity of the Type 26 digital design is greater than any previous UK design and build program,” Phillips said.

“We expect this design maturity will substantially reduce risk to the Commonwealth if BAE Systems is successful on SEA 5000.”