NEWS IN BRIEF
ROYAL NAVY The Type 31 frigate programme achieved a significant milestone recently with a 177-tonne hull block for the first frigate being moved into position. Each vessel will comprise eight blocks. Construction of the first of class, the future HMS Venturer, began in April at a dedicated facility in Rosyth. Babcock plans to deliver all five Type 31s by 2028. The Arrowhead design has also been selected by the Polish and Indonesian navies.
In an agreement reminiscent of the Tripartite class MCMVs, France has formally joined the Belgian-Dutch minehunter programme. The Marine Nationale is to order its ships in 2023. The first of 12 Belgian and Dutch vessels is already under construction, with deliveries starting in 2024. The new generation
