DOHA: For the first time ever, British company BAE Systems launched its proposed design for the Type 31e (e for export) frigate competition outside the United Kingdom.
The Type 31e frigate contender made its international debut at the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference held earlier this week, coinciding with the release of the pre-qualification questionnaire for the program’s competitive design phase by the U.K. Ministry of Defence.
BAE is in a joint bid for the Type 31e contract with Liverpool shipbuilder Cammell Laird. The design is in part based on the Khareef class of corvettes delivered to the Omani navy by BAE.
Tony Graham, Cammell Laird’s Type 31e project director told a suppliers conference recently the two companies had already worked up an international market plan for their design, known as the Leander.
“We have a global campaign plan for the Type 31e program and have identified opportunities in more than 20 countries,” said Graham, who was previously a senior executive in charge of the MoD’s combat ships procurement effort. “Our intent is to build a warship export business based on Leander. The MoD has indicated it is willing to sign a business agreement alongside the contract to help industry export the Type 31e. This joint approach between the government and the Royal Navy producing a proper business plan for exports has never been seen before.”
