Imenco to equip UK Type 31 frigates.

According to a press release published by IMENCO UK Ltd on May 5, 2021, the award-winning supplier of marine and naval visual surveillance systems based in Aberdeen and Wick, is announcing a major contract win from Babcock International Group for the supply of CCTV systems for the Royal Navy’s Type 31 program. The contract covers five Type 31 general purpose frigates being constructed at Babcock’s Rosyth facilities.
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Artist rendering of Type 31 frigates (Picture source: Babcock)

Imenco UK specialises in visual surveillance systems for the harshest environments and is a world leader in the provision of both topside and subsea CCTV systems for both Naval Surface Ships and Submarines.

The Type 31 frigates are part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, which is intended to transform naval shipbuilding in the UK. The frigate, based on Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 baseline design, offers a modern, global platform that can be constructed efficiently and at a considerably lower cost than has previously been achievable, while offering a highly-capable warship.

Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 platform has a unique modular design, which is configurable to meet the needs of both the Royal Navy and navies around the world. For example, the new vessels feature an easily adaptable open architecture combat system, the option of different bridge wing modules and flexible mission bays.

Type 31 is a general-purpose frigate with a displacement of 5700 tonnes and a length of 138.7 m (455 ft). The ship is equipped with 4 x Rolls Royce/MTU 20V 8000 M71 (8.2-MW) diesel engines, 4 x Rolls Royce/MTU 16V 2000 M41B (900kW) generators, a MAN Alpha VBS Mk 5 CP propeller, two shafts and a CODAD. It can reach the maximum speed of 28 knots and has an endurance of 9,000 nautical miles.

The armament of the ship comprises VLS Sea Ceptor anti-air missiles, 1x57 mm Mk 110 main gun and 2x40mm Mk 4 secondary guns. Sensors and processing systems onboard are the TACTICOS combat management system, Thales NS110 3D radar, SharpEye navigation radar, 2 Mirador Mk2 EOS and the Vigile-D ESM.

The frigate can accommodate an 80-100 crew, 1 × Wildcat or 1 × Merlin, 6 TEUs and 4 boat bays for RHIBs and USVs/UUVs. The ship is also fitted with a helicopter hangar and a flight deck.