Second Type 26 frigate takes final shape with twin masts

HMS Cardiff, the second Type 26 anti-submarine frigate for the Royal Navy, has received two 17-meter communications masts at BAE Systems’ Scotstoun yard on the Clyde. Built by STS Defence and installed above the mission bay, the port mast carries cellular, satellite and GPS equipment, while the starboard mast supports UHF and VHF communications. The arrangement provides all-around coverage and frequency isolation to limit interference from the ship’s own systems. Cardiff will remain afloat at Scotstoun for the rest of its fitting-out work, and all eight frigates are due to be completed by the mid-2030s.