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Warship

United Kingdom

BAE Systems

Type 26 City

Next-generation Royal Navy anti-submarine warfare frigate designed around a large mission bay, towed-array sonar and Mk 41 vertical launch cells, replacing the Type 23. The design has also been selected by Australia and Canada as the basis for their own future frigate fleets.

In service since 2028 · 1 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

6,900

7,000

nmi

VLS

157

crew

💲 ≈ $1,700,000,000, Approximate build cost per ship

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

UK export-licensed

Subject to UK SPIRE licensing (ECJU); generally available to allied states.

Channel: Government-to-government or direct

Fielded & proven

Limited · 1 operator

In service since 2028. Status: active.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

$4.3B – $6.0B

Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~35 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →

Interoperability

Mk 41 VLS-class

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Compatible munitions & weapons

Publicly reported weapons the Type 26 City can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.

Sea Ceptor (CAMM) Mk 41 VLS strike-length cells

Stingray torpedo

Full specifications

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Firepower specifications
Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.	1× 5 in Mark 45 naval gun
VLS cells Vertical-launch missile cells on a warship, a proxy for magazine depth. Higher means more missiles before rearming.	48 Stronger than 77% of warships
Torpedo tubes Number of torpedo tubes (submarines and some surface ships).	2 Stronger than 12% of warships

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Physical specifications
Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.	149.9 m

Naval

Displacement, speed, endurance and diving depth.

Naval specifications
Displacement Standard displacement in tonnes, the ship’s size class. Larger hulls carry more but cost more and are less agile.	6,900 t
Full-load displacement Displacement fully loaded with fuel, stores and munitions.	8,000 t
Max speed Top speed in knots (surfaced, for submarines). Higher aids positioning and screening.	26 kn Stronger than 24% of warships
Range Cruising range in nautical miles. Nuclear vessels are effectively unlimited (fuel-wise). Higher means more reach without replenishment.	7,000 nmi Stronger than 64% of warships
Complement Crew size. Fewer eases manning cost; more may indicate a larger, more capable platform.	157
Propulsion plant Machinery type, nuclear reactor, gas turbine (COGAG), CODAG, diesel-electric, AIP.	CODLOG: 1× Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine + 4× diesel generators

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Sensors & avionics specifications
Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art.	Artisan 997 3D radar
Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.	Type 2150 bow sonar, Type 2087 towed-array sonar, large flexible mission bay

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Program specifications
Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.	$1,700,000,000 Stronger than 31% of warships
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.	0 Bottom 5% of warships
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.	1 Stronger than 45% of warships

Specifications compiled from public BAE Systems and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

Compare with rivals

See how it stacks up

Warship

Type 26 City Amiral Ronarc'h-class Frigate (FDI)

Naval Group Amiral Ronarc'h-class Frigate (FDI)

View Amiral Ronarc'h-class Frigate (FDI) ↗

Warship

Type 26 City Alvaro de Bazan class (F100)

Navantia Alvaro de Bazan class (F100)

View Alvaro de Bazan class (F100) ↗

Warship

Type 26 City Bonifaz class (F110)

Navantia Bonifaz class (F110)

View Bonifaz class (F110) ↗

Frequently asked questions

What is the main armament of the BAE Systems Type 26 City? +

The BAE Systems Type 26 City's primary weapon is the 1× 5 in Mark 45 naval gun.

What is the BAE Systems Type 26 City used for? +

The BAE Systems Type 26 City is a warship typically used for air defense, isr.

How many countries operate the BAE Systems Type 26 City? +

The BAE Systems Type 26 City is operated by 1 countries.

How much does the BAE Systems Type 26 City cost? +

The BAE Systems Type 26 City has an approximate unit cost of 1,700,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.