BAE Systems begins integrating Mk 45 naval gun system onto future HMS Glasgow

BAE Systems announced on 23 September 2024 that it has begun integrating the Mk 45 naval gun system onto the future HMS Glasgow: the first of eight Type 26 frigates being built for the Royal Navy.

This is the first installation of the Mk 45 and its ammunition handling system (AHS) on a Type 26 frigate and represents a major milestone for the programme, with installations planned for all ships in the class.

“Integrating the Mk 45 AHS onto HMS Glasgow sets an important foundation of firepower and ammunition readiness for the Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigates,” Brent Butcher, vice president of weapon systems at BAE Systems, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “This installation has laid the groundwork to ensure the Royal Navy’s most advanced frigates have the cutting-edge capabilities they require.”

The Mk 45 gun system combines the five-inch (127 mm), 62-calibre Mk 45 Mod 4A naval gun with a fully automated AHS, which can reload the Mk 45 gun in all sea states, increasing sailor safety, reducing crewing requirements and providing reliable reloading performance. The Mk 45 AHS can manage all five-inch munitions currently in service.

BAE Systems was awarded a USD 219 million (EUR 197 million) contract in February 2023 to equip the next batch of the Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigates with the Mk 45 and AHS. The system has also been selected by the Royal Australian Navy for its Hunter- class frigates, which are based on the Type 26 design.

Engineering and programme support for the project takes place at BAE Systems’ facility in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with production at a site in Louisville, Kentucky.