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Grant Shapps has announced that development has begun on the new Multi Role Support Ships (MRSS), which will be specialist warships designed to rapidly transport the Royal Marines Commando Force from sea to shore around the world.
In an interview with The Telegraph, the Defence Secretary said he was investing money into the support ships because Britain will need to fight and win future battles with China at sea.
“We’re making these critical investments in shipbuilding to build the future Royal Navy needed to deter our adversaries, and then win if they are not deterred,” Mr Shapps said.
“As nations like China and Russia invest heavily in their militaries we must make sure the UK leads our allies so that the West is not left behind.”
An image of what the Multi Role Support Ship will look like
An image of what the Multi Role Support Ship will look like CREDIT: BMT
Mr Shapps will make the announcement for the new MRSS at the First Sea Lord’s Sea Power Conference at Lancaster House on Tuesday.
Navy Lookout - has a lengthy article on these dated 4 Sept 23 and mentions Harl as the ideal yard for assembly because of size required - was a joint venture with the Dutch and thought they would be using Damon
LSE03 ref 02.11 post The Order Paper is not showing any written statements from the Defence Secretary today. Which makes me wonder whether he will depart from convention and make the announcement outside Parliament first. In amy event the Daily Telegraph is not likely to please Mr Speaker as it foreshadows a statement that has not yet been made in Parliament.
Our esteemed Defence Secretary has just posted this on twitter
Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP
Today marks the start of a new golden age of British shipbuilding. At the First Sea Lord’s Sea Power conference I’ll set out how we’ll build 28 ships & submarines for the @RoyalNavy in the UK
Including up to 6 new warships to ensure our Commandos can fight & win for generations.
The link to see the photo is https://twitter.com/grantshapps/status/1790273776887677426
Mr Speaker will not be amused there is this from Navy Lookout https://www.navylookout.com/royal-navys-multi-role-support-ship-programme-to-go-ahead/ Clearly the MoD have been briefing ahead of any announcement to Parliament. This is becomiing the norm with this government. I found this interesting 'A contract of this size would indicate that a consortium will be needed to build these vessels. It’s too early to speculate how this may be executed but the shipyards at Rosyth, Belfast and Birkenhead may all be involved and sequencing around FSS will be interesting.' Rosyth would be the submarines which would seem to imply that the six MRSS will be built at HARL and Birkenhead. Which would tie in with broomtree's 02.42 post. Navy Lookout is close to the MoD so the mention of HARL in the article is interesting.
the new support ships were revealed in an article in the ft on 20th april. no one took any notice then as lacking detail...as is now.
bae down sharply yesterday following downgrade by boa but bab**** rally today with citibank raising their price target.
These MRSS vessels have been discused many time here before over a number of years in various forms.
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/the-future-multi-role-support-ships/
So, have they finally come to some sort of decision or is it all just electioneering. Anyway, looks like the collab with the Dutch has not survived the process though.
Could it be assumed Barrow would also be involved with some of the submarine construction. If so, maybe some more sub-contract work might come this way. Interesting that you can see them giving H&W addtional contracts for any of the six MRSS vessels before the completion of the FSS. Hence the, "sequencing around FSS" comment.
Watch this space.......
Si_Derman ref 10.26 post It looks like the MoD have suddenly worked out that just giving every contract to either BAe or BAB may not be in the best interest of the public as it leads in delays in getting vessels built.
Https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/two-royal-navy-frigates-to-be-retired/
Shapps to hail new 'golden age for British shipbuilding'
Grant Shapps will hail a "golden age for British shipbuilding" in a speech at the Sea Power Conference in central London today as the Conservatives continue their push to talk about defence.
The defence secretary will announce that "up to" six new warships to support the Royal Marines will be commissioned.
This will mean that "up to" 28 warships and submarines are in the pipeline for the UK's armed forces.
Mr Shapps will say this is possible due to the government's commitment to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030.
He will no doubt hit out at Labour for not matching that commitment as dividing lines are set out ahead of the general election, expected later this year.
Source : Sky News
Until it can be demonstrated that there is a viable and "proven" alternative what option do they currently have though? Unless the gov. actively force them to farm out more "substantial" sub-contracts to lighten their load and help speed up the process. The work could then be spread evenly around the whole country and "they" could just focus on bringing it all together. Everyone gets a piece of the pie and the country gets the ships in good time. Simple.
Right that's that sorted. What else you got? ;)
Si, that's not how capitalism works. They would rather squeeze out the competition, keep the work to themselves at a slower pace and maximise profits.
I don't see a Labour government giving this work to anyone other than BAE and BAB either given the kind of comments we see frequently from Labour MPs about those who dare to compete with the big two.
Only thing I am interested in is our finance deal getting signed off. That would certainly boost British shipbuilding.
Interestingly I have just checked the HOUSE OF Commons twitter feed and we have two Urgent Questions but no statement from the Defence Secretary on this. Going to listen in to Questions to see if anything is said about the absence of a statement from the Defence Secretary on billions being spen on new vessels.
Umm , Conservatives gone before year end.
I don't imagine for one second that these new vessels will be designed , tenders put out and contracts signed within such a tight window. All sounds like one last Hurrah to me.
Don't expect this to impact Harl at all !
Show me the financing .
Maybe this is the reason for the 100% government backing of the finance. Could also follow that an announcement of the finance deal and where some of the money is going to be spent may arise. Wishful thinking on my part perhaps
Kaeren true but you never know whoever wins has to commit to defence spending ,like sunak said yesterday the next five years are going to be crucial in making the country secure the threat from others is increasing imho
Pad1000rr ref 11.44 post I would be surprised if it was the case as the guarantee could only be used to help devlop their export potential.
The loan, once it arrives ( still 100 % convinced ) will be used as working capital . Forget 200 million, Riverstone need to be repaid in full , capital & interest and then Harl have to budget to repay interest and capital to the consortium of banks. They unlike Riverstone will not accept rolling of interest. It will be tight even with the new much cheaper loan, until we reach breakeven, hopefully 2025.
We all know there is a black hole in the finances and at some stage this will have to be addressed. Be it the sale of IM , or one of several other mechanisms to raise cash to balance the books.
The new loan most definitely will not be used as you suggest, even if it was allowed.
IMO.
A lot of news to come imho , June is my prediction
LSEO3 , they gonna need to be replaced asap imho
The only thing they seem to have actually had from the government is "ministerial approval" so that they could advance to next stage of negotiations. Sounded like nonsense then, and still does. imo. Anyway, It's the banks stumping up the money that have to be convinced that should the company default the government will step in and bail them out. With a change of power looming they would have to be sure that any new lot will also back them. I think we already know where half of the money is going. Riverstone, to pay of the existing loans and hopefully reduce the interest.
Can see it dragging on a while yet, tbh, imo.....
Much of the initial design work seems to have been done but this will still be some way off.
As to Harl’s part, clearly suited for size but I would think very much dependant on the FSS going to plan. In fairness there’s a lot of criticism of other builders but Harl have the same potential pitfalls/delays ahead of them so as Si mentioned the process has yet to be ‘proven’
A lot of talk of £200 million but as others have mentioned it will be a lot less once Riverstone is paid. To that will have to be added the costs of the Scilly project (which I still see as a serious distraction both in terms of finance and time) which appear to be mounting by the day. Break Even is being pushed back for sure
As will be seen from this article https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2024/may/14/20240514-six-new-amphibious-warships-to-be-built-for-royal-marines-operations hile upto six ships are to be built six arebeing decommissioned. This means that assumming all six are built the number of hips in the navy will not increase even with the city class of frigates which are replacing the Type 23s
Also on timing the article says this 'The MOD has entered the first, or concept, phase of the MRSS Programme and will work with industry as part of early market engagement ahead of developing the vessel design.' So going by he normal MoD speed Team Resolute will have completed the FSS before these go out to tender. This means that HARL would be able to evidence the ability to build vessels.
Stokey - your ‘evidence to build’ is as the junior partner in Team Resolute so not as strong a case as you might be suggesting?
The new vessels are classed as warships so that would rule out a foreign partner. It is more likely a ‘Team’ headed by BAE but including Harl would have a chance of success. Harl in this case very much as is happening with the FSS, may get blocks to build and even final assembly
Broomtree ref 15.04 post If I recall the FSS ships were classed as warships in order for international companies being prevented from bidding as the Prime contractor. It is for tnhis reason that Navantia had to form a UK subsidiary. We will not go over whether being registered at Companies House is enough to count as British I will have to agree to differ on that one. It would not surprise me if HARL was to bid as the Prime in a consortium with other shipyards.