Royal Navy Advances Type 31 Frigate Programme as HMS Active Rolls Out and HMS Bulldog Construction Begins in Rosyth

There’s something quietly symbolic about the sound of steel being cut in a shipyard. At Rosyth, that sound marked the start of one warship while another edged closer to the open sea.

It was a milestone moment for the Royal Navy — and for British shipbuilding more broadly.

Two of the new Type 31 frigates moved forward in very different ways on the same day. One officially began life. The other stepped into its next phase, construction complete and ready for final outfitting.

Together, they tell a story of momentum, investment and long-term ambition.

HMS Active Rolls Into the Spotlight

The spotlight first fell on HMS Active, which was “rolled out” from the build hall at Babcock’s Rosyth facility. In shipbuilding terms, a roll-out is a big deal — it means the core structure is complete.

What follows now is fitting out: installing mission systems, radars, weapons, sensors, and all the complex wiring and software that turn a hull into a frontline warship.

When fully operational, HMS Active will be one of five 5,700-tonne Inspiration-class frigates.

These ships are designed to be adaptable workhorses — capable of intercepting hostile vessels, gathering intelligence, supporting humanitarian missions, and projecting British presence overseas.

HMS Bulldog Begins Its Journey

While one ship moved out, another moved forward. HMS Bulldog officially began construction with a traditional steel-cutting ceremony.

That first cut of metal might seem ceremonial, but it marks the formal start of fabrication.

From that point on, blocks of steel will be assembled into sections, then joined together in the vast Venturer Building — a purpose-built assembly hall designed to allow two frigates to be constructed side by side.

The fact that both milestones happened on the same day signals something important: this programme is no longer theoretical. It’s moving at pace.

The Bigger Vision: A Hybrid Fleet

The Type 31 frigates are part of a broader transformation under the UK’s Strategic Defence Review. The aim? A “hybrid navy” that blends traditional crewed warships with uncrewed systems — drones at sea, in the air, and below the surface.

According to First Sea Lord Gwyn Jenkins, these frigates will form a flexible backbone for that evolving fleet.

They are designed with modular spaces, meaning mission packages can be swapped depending on operational needs.

That adaptability is increasingly crucial in an era of grey-zone conflict, cyber threats, and rapidly shifting geopolitical tensions.

Jobs, Skills and Scottish Shipbuilding

Beyond strategy, there’s a clear economic dimension. The programme supports around 1,250 jobs directly and another 1,250 across the UK supply chain.

These aren’t short-term posts — they represent sustained, high-skilled work in advanced manufacturing and engineering.

More than 400 apprenticeships have been created through partnerships with colleges in Fife and across Scotland.

In practical terms, that means welders, naval architects, marine engineers and digital systems specialists are being trained today to support the fleet of tomorrow.

Babcock has invested roughly £200 million into the Rosyth facility, modernising infrastructure and enabling simultaneous ship construction. For a yard with a long naval heritage, it’s both a revival and a reinvention.

The Arrowhead 140 Factor

The Type 31 design is based on the British-developed Arrowhead 140 platform. What makes it especially significant is its export appeal.

Countries such as Indonesia and Poland have already selected variants of the design, boosting British defence exports and strengthening naval interoperability among allies.

Export success also helps reduce unit costs and sustain domestic expertise — something the UK has historically struggled to maintain between major shipbuilding programmes.

In other words, this isn’t just about five ships for Britain. It’s about positioning the UK as a competitive global naval designer.

Defence Spending Context

All of this sits against a backdrop of increased defence investment. The government has pledged to raise defence spending to 2.6% of GDP from 2027 — the largest sustained uplift since the end of the Cold War.

That increase reflects growing concerns over global instability, maritime security in contested waters, and the need to protect undersea infrastructure such as data cables and energy pipelines.

Surface ships like the Type 31 may not grab headlines like aircraft carriers, but they are often the ones quietly carrying out day-to-day global operations.

Impact and Consequences

The implications stretch well beyond Rosyth.

Militarily, these ships will enhance the Royal Navy’s ability to maintain a persistent global presence — particularly in the Indo-Pacific and North Atlantic regions.

Their versatility makes them ideal for both high-end deterrence and lower-intensity tasks like maritime security and disaster relief.

Economically, the programme stabilises Britain’s naval shipbuilding pipeline. Historically, the UK has faced feast-and-famine cycles in ship construction.

Sustained production reduces skills gaps and keeps supply chains intact.

Politically, the project reinforces the government’s “build in Britain” message. In an era of supply chain vulnerability, sovereign shipbuilding capability carries strategic weight.

What’s Next?

For HMS Active, the next steps involve complex systems integration, harbour trials and eventually sea trials. That process can take months — sometimes years — as engineers test everything from propulsion systems to combat software.

For HMS Bulldog, block construction will begin in earnest. Over time, large modular sections will be assembled and joined, gradually forming the recognisable outline of a modern frigate.

Meanwhile, the remaining ships in the five-vessel class will continue progressing through their own build stages. As more hulls move forward, the Royal Navy edges closer to fielding its fully realised Type 31 fleet.

Summary

The steel cut for HMS Bulldog and the roll-out of HMS Active mark more than routine production updates.

They reflect a defence strategy in motion — one that blends military modernisation with industrial renewal.

At Rosyth, two ships now stand at different stages of the same journey. One is just beginning. The other is nearly ready to meet the sea.

Together, they signal that Britain’s next generation of frigates is steadily taking shape.

Bulleted Takeaways:

• HMS Active has completed structural construction and entered the fitting-out phase.
• HMS Bulldog has officially begun construction with a steel-cutting ceremony.
• The Type 31 programme supports 2,500 UK jobs across shipbuilding and supply chains.
• The frigates will form a key part of a future hybrid Royal Navy fleet.
• Built on the export-successful Arrowhead 140 design, the ships strengthen UK defence exports.
• The programme represents one of the UK’s most significant naval industrial investments in decades.