# UK Committee Urges Frigate Fleet Retention

A UK parliamentary Defence Committee report says the Royal Navy has five Type 23 anti-submarine warfare frigates in service against a requirement of eight, and towed-array sonar availability could remain at five for three years. The committee urges the government to retain sonar-equipped Type 23s until Type 26 replacements arrive, warning that diverting two UK-built Type 26 frigates to Norway could delay the UK’s eight-frigate target until 2037. The report identifies no new solicitation or funding value, but highlights potential continuing needs in frigate production, fleet readiness and maintenance, under-ice capability, and Arctic testing of uncrewed systems.

- Shipbuilders and suppliers supporting Type 23 sustainment and Type 26 production may find continued demand tied to the gap between current fleet capacity and the planned replacement fleet.
- Contractors working on sonar, maintenance, under-ice submarine capability, and uncrewed systems may consider how their offerings support the readiness and capability areas identified by the committee.
- The potential effect of Type 26 allocations to Norway on the UK delivery schedule underscores the importance of production capacity and delivery planning for companies in the naval supply chain.

**Jurisdictions:** international
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Published:** October 22, 2026

### Government Entities
- Royal Navy
- Ministry of Defence (MoD)
- Defence Committee, UK Parliament

### Vendors
- BAE Systems (Builder of the UK’s Type 26 frigates)

### Sources
- [UK’s Royal Navy has ‘serious’ anti-submarine warfare gap, committee finds](https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/10/22/uks-royal-navy-has-serious-anti-submarine-warfare-gap-committee-finds) - Defense News