In Glasgow, the remaining yards are going through the biggest transformation in decades, including steering the old crafts into the digital age.
The Glasgow Times was taken on a tour of the BAE Govan yard where the latest Type 26 frigates are being built.HMS Belfast is taking shape in sections in the construction and outfitting hall, and HMS Birmingham is in its early stages after the first steel-cutting last year.Simon Lister, managing director of BAE Systems Naval Ships, said what is under way is the biggest investment in 40 years.“We are building a class of ships but we are also rebuilding a shipyard that is fit for the future.
At the end of the process, Mr Lister said the Royal Navy will have eight new ships, the best in their class.Everything about the ship, he explained, is designed to reduce noise and allow it to “slip through the water efficiently and quietly".