Babcock has celebrated two major milestones at its Rosyth facility, combining the ceremonial keel laying of HMS Formidable with the announcement of a new contract supporting the US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines.
The keel laying marked another key stage in the UK’s Type 31 (T31) frigate programme, which aims to deliver five T31 vessels to the Royal Navy within ten years of contract signing. As part of the ceremony, the first modular section of HMS Formidable was carefully positioned atop a coin, continuing the naval tradition symbolising good fortune for the ship and her crew.
The event brought together Babcock employees, representatives of the Royal Navy, and UK and international guests, underlining Rosyth’s role as a critical hub for sovereign naval capability.
On the same day, Babcock announced an expansion of its strategic partnership with HII, the United States’ largest military shipbuilder and a leader in maritime unmanned autonomous platforms. The contract will see Babcock’s Rosyth team provide advanced manufacturing support for complex assemblies on the Virginia-class submarine programme, building on existing work producing missile tube assemblies for US and UK naval programmes.
Sir Nick Hine, Chief Executive of Babcock’s Marine sector, highlighted the significance of the developments: “This is an important week in the history of Rosyth. As the keel of HMS Formidable is laid in this vital and fast-paced UK defence programme, our advanced design and build capability will also now support the delivery of the US Virginia-class submarines – a critical component of the AUKUS trilateral partnership between Australia, the US and the UK. Our workforce here in Rosyth is delivering some of the most advanced international defence programmes, driving economic growth and providing highly skilled jobs to our surrounding communities.”
Commander Thomas Hetherington of the Royal Navy, Senior Naval Officer for HMS Venturer and T31 Ships, described the ceremony as a key milestone in the T31 programme: “The ceremony blends the tradition of marking the birth of a ship with the undoubted technological advances that have been used in designing and building her for the extremely complex environment she will sail in. The third of five ships, HMS Formidable will help modernise the Royal Navy’s frigate fleet and enhance the experience for our sailors as they continue operations across the globe.”
Steve Ranyard, DE&S Type 31 Team Leader, added: “Today’s keel laying marks another key milestone towards the Royal Navy’s future capabilities. This demonstrates the excellent progress we’re making in delivering these versatile frigates. The Type 31 programme is not only strengthening our naval fleet but also driving growth and prosperity across the UK’s maritime sector.”