The United Kingdom's Royal Navy has been scheming a new combat ship since the late '90s, and announced this week that it plans to put 13 new ships into service by 2020.
The Ministry of Defense worked with BAE systems to hammer out the 485-foot-long, nearly 6,000-ton Type 26 Global Combat Ship's basic design details. The next step is to fine tune its specifications. According to current plans, the ship will accommodate cruise missiles, helicopters, unmanned aerial and nautical vehicles, and other commando-ey toys.
Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope is the Royal Navy's First Sea Lord, which we think is a pretty cool title, and this is what he told the BBC:
The T26 GCS will be a multi-mission warship designed for joint and multinational operations... including complex combat operations, maritime security operations such as counter piracy, as well as humanitarian and disaster relief work around the world.
The 13 new ships are scheduled to replace 13 Type 23 frigates, which have been in service since the early '90s. The new ships will be sleeker than the last series, with a design emphasis on stealth.
Queen Victoria's British Empire may be long gone, but the Brits are clearly still singing "Rule Britannia."
Photo credit: Ministry of Defense via BBC