A newly published UK Defence Journal report has identified a discrepancy in the Liberal Democrats’ shipbuilding proposal: the party’s political announcement refers to four new British shipyards, while its detailed costing allocates £370 million for two additional facilities at approximately £185 million each. The report was published on October 25 and presents the infrastructure comparison as part of its examination of the plan.
The Liberal Democrats’ press release proposes six additional Royal Navy frigates: three Type 26 anti-submarine warfare ships and three Type 31 general-purpose ships. It says the vessels would be delivered by the mid-2030s and describes the shipyard expansion as a way to provide a longer-term workload for British industry.
UK Defence Journal reports that the party estimates the three additional Type 31s at approximately £1.2 billion and the three Type 26s at £2.85 billion. Adding the proposed £370 million infrastructure allocation produces approximately £4.42 billion in capital spending under the party’s assumptions. The figures are estimates, not a contract value or a government procurement award.
The party’s release also says official through-life operating-cost estimates for the Type 26 and Type 31 are unavailable. UK Defence Journal reports that the Liberal Democrats instead assume an annual running cost of £20 million for each additional ship by 2034/35, or £120 million for all six vessels, based on earlier estimates for other Royal Navy ships.
If adopted, the proposal would raise the planned Type 26 fleet from eight ships to 11 and the Type 31 fleet from five to eight, according to UK Defence Journal. The party says orders should be placed during the next Parliament, with funding partly supported by its proposed Defence Bonds scheme and an increase in the Digital Services Tax.