None of this would have been possible had it not been for the Aussie MetalStorm group!
Stupid government didn’t think the MS was a good idea, so the group sold it to the US and they are having so much fun with developing this stuff- Singapore Technologies is also involved and the blasted thing is, once these become mainstream, the RAN are going to want them on their vessels… and we’ll pay through the nose for them!

BAE systems leading the way.

The UK has scaled back the specifications for a new type warship to shrink costs, tackle a record budget deficit and allow more vessels to be ordered, a senior defence source has said.

The specifications of the Type 26 frigate will be partly modified, while costs will be slashed from £500m to £250-300m.

“We want numbers. We want quality, but if you have cheaper unit costs, you can have more of them,” the source added.

The Type 26 frigates will replace Type 23, of which there are 13 in service. The reduced cost of the Type 26 would save up to £3.25bn if 13 ships were ordered, according to Reuters.

The UK has cut its defence budget of £36.9bn by 8% in real terms up to 2015, according to a strategic defence review.

The review reaffirmed the government’s drive for cheaper, more adaptable and less specialised equipment that is more suitable for export markets.

So what do we think we will be losing on the Type 26?

Typhoon with AESA and Meteor – This is what Japan should be buying into and now. With the potential for also working with eurojet on thrust vectoring.

We all know that Japan likes the idea of Twin engines for all that patroling over the water they do 🙂

Fantastic looks corvette and perfect for the C3 role. Well if you were to add another 10 m or so 😛

I’m putting my money on June 2011.