Birkenhead firm has teamed up with defence specialist BAE Systems on the design of the Leander frigate which it had hoped to sell to Britain’s Ministry of Defence. Tony McDonough reports

Merseyside shipbuilder Cammell Laird is stepping up efforts to sell its hi-tech warship design overseas after the UK Government put its £1.25bn programme to build five new frigates on hold.

The Birkenhead firm has teamed up with defence specialist BAE Systems on the design of the Leander frigate which would be equipped with the latest technology demanded by a modern navy.

Principal aim of the partnership was to bid for the contract with the Ministry of Defence to build its next generation of warships and, earlier this year, Cammell Laird hosted events for sub-contractors and suppliers.

However, in the last few weeks the MoD has been forced to suspend the project. The official line was that there was a “lack of compliant bids” but it has also been reported that the Government had failed to include the £1.25bn in the MoD budget.

Now Cammell Laird has unveiled a new website for the Leander which it aims to sell to navies across the world.

The site – www.leanderfrigate.com – contains images, technical specifications, and videos with 3D representations of the vessel, as well as information on its operational performance, flight deck design, sensors and weaponry options, and living quarters.

Tony Graham, project director for the Leander, said the warship has huge export potential and is already generating significant international interest.

Cammell Laird will look to build on this momentum as it promotes its naval shipbuilding capability on the world stage during Euronaval 2018, the biggest naval exhibition and conference of the year, due to take place in Paris between October 23 and 26.

“The new website allows us to highlight some key features and capabilities of this powerful and affordable warship, providing another layer of detail for the export market,” said Mr Graham.

“The website launch is also an important part of our preparations for October’s Euronaval exhibition in France, an event that will provide us with the perfect platform to showcase Cammell Laird’s construction capabilities and cost efficiencies.

At under 4,000 tonnes, the Leander occupies a space that particularly appeals to most navies, according to Mr Graham.

He said the ship’s modern features, including its highly flexible design with a significant mission bay for boats and offboard systems – both unmanned air vehicles and unmanned surface vessels, are proving particularly attractive to customers.

“Buyers have been incredibly receptive to the fact that it’s the first time in a generation a warship offered to the Royal Navy that is designed to UK standards, with a UK combat system and a competitive price point, has been made available on the international market,” he added.

BAE Systems will also be promoting its design for the Leander Frigate at Euronaval in Paris and again at the Exponaval 2018 exhibition in Chile this December.