The Type 26 Frigate - The Global Combat Ship project is seemingly to go forward and with the steel of the Type 45 destroyers and the aircraft carriers almost done this a the next large in prospect.   In May 2011 a further new specification began to emerge for a smaller 5,500 tonne ship similar in many ways to the German MEKO design with a  a length of 145m and a top speed of at least 26 knots and a crew of 130 with room for 36 embarked troops.   Sixty days endurance and a range of 7,000 miles at 15 knots were the other stated criteria with the Royal Navy set to get eight (8) Anti-Submarine versions and five (5) General Purpose versions.    In remains to be seen what will be ordered.   The Out of Service dates for the Type 23 Frigates are (as stated) as :

 Built     Name                   Out of Service               

1989      ARGYLL                        2023                

199O     LANCASTER                 2024                

1991      IRON DUKE                 2025                

1991      MONMOUTH                2026                

1991      MONTROSE                 2027                

1992      WESTMINSTER            2028                                        

1992      NORTHUMBERLAND     2029                                        

1993      RICHMOND                  2030                                        

1994      SOMERSET                   2031

1996      SUTHERLAND               2033

1998      KENT                            2034

1999      PORTLAND                   2035

2000     ST.ALBANS                 2036

The naming of these Global Combat warships will be the next big nomenclature decision for the Ships' Names and Badges Committee and let the writer be the first to suggest

Anti-Submarine   LONDON          SHEFFIELD         EDINBURGH             CARDIFF          

                        BRISTOL           BIRMINGHAM     MANCHESTER           NEWCASTLE

General Purpose  LION                TIGER                 JAGUAR 

                        PUMA                 PANTHER