BAE Systems has rolled out the complete hull of the future HMS Glasgow, the first Type 26 City class frigate being built for the UK’s Royal Navy.

The complete hull was rolled out at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard on the Clyde River in Glasgow where the aft and forward hull blocks were joined.

HMS Glasgow will be the first of 32 vessels based on BAE Systems’ Global Combat Ship design, comprising eight City class frigates for the RN, nine Hunter class frigates planned for the Royal Australian Navy, and 15 vessels for the Royal Canadian Navy’s Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) program.

In RN service, the City class will replace the Type 23 Duke class in service, while the Hunter class will replace the RAN’s ANZAC class frigates, and Canada’s CSC ships will replace the Halifax and Iroquois classes in service.

In related news, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has announced US State Department approval for the sale of the first four Lockheed Martin AEGIS combat systems and related equipment for Canada’s first four CSC vessels.

The estimated US$1.7bn sale include four AEGIS combat system shipsets, four AN/SPY-7 radar components, four cooperative engagement capability (CEC) shipsets, three MK41 vertical launch systems, and associated systems, support, and services.