BAE to Provide MIFS for Royal Navy’s Type 26 Frigates

The automated naval gun solution will help the Royal Navy to increase crew productivity, reduce sailor safety hazards, and improve the operational capability of the advanced warships By Joseph Macey / 06 Mar 2023

Discover Leading Defense Technology Solutions

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Follow DA

BAE Systems, Inc. has received a $219 million (£181 million) contract to equip the Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigates with five MK 45 Maritime Indirect Fire Systems (MIFS).

The system combines the 5-inch, 62-caliber Mk 45 Mod 4A naval gun system with a fully automated Ammunition Handling System (AHS).

The automated naval gun solution will help the Royal Navy increase crew productivity, reduce sailor safety hazards, and improve the operational capability of the advanced warships as they deliver protection to the Royal Navy’s Continuous At Sea Deterrent and Carrier Strike Group.

The Type 26 frigates, the first of which is due to be delivered to the Royal Navy in the mid-2020s, is expected to be one of the world’s most advanced classes of warships, with the primary purpose of anti-submarine warfare. In addition to its range of advanced weapons and sensors, it will also be capable of countering piracy, delivering humanitarian air and disaster relief.

“We have innovated and customized the Mk 45 system to provide a critical and reliable fully-automatic ammunition handling solution that revolutionizes medium and large caliber naval gunnery,” said Brent Butcher, vice president of the weapon systems product line at BAE Systems. “The customized, lightweight and compact Mk 45 gun system with AHS provides our customers commonality with the US Navy, a highly-reliable system with security of lifecycle support, and access to future technology upgrades. We look forward to continuing to build these critical partnerships and delivering the MIFS system to our UK customer.”

Engineering and program support for the new contract will be performed at BAE Systems’ Minneapolis and Louisville, Kentucky production facilities. BAE shipped the main equipment for the first MIFS system at the end of 2022 with installation to follow in 2023.

Find Military Ammunition manufacturers & suppliers of ammo for military & defense applications >>

Posted by Joseph Macey Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

New 3D Radar System Launched with AI-Powered Drone Detection

Terma has introduced SCANTER Sphera, a compact 3D radar system with AI-driven drone detection and full 360° situational awareness

May 23, 2025
Triad RF Systems Certified to Global Quality Standard ISO 9001:2015

Triad RF Systems has achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification, reinforcing its commitment to quality, continuous improvement, and delivering reliable RF solutions worldwide

May 23, 2025
LiDAR’s Evolving Role in Security & Surveillance

Inertial Labs outlines how LiDAR, including UAV-mounted systems like RESEPI GEN-II, enhances perimeter security through precise mapping, environmental awareness, and real-time monitoring

May 23, 2025
Gyro Stabilization Solutions for Tactical Military Systems

Defense Advancement showcases high-precision gyro stabilization mounts for mission-critical military and defense applications

May 23, 2025
AI-Powered Mission Planning & Target Recognition Software Selected for Long-Range Loitering Munitions

Teledyne FLIR OEM's Prism Supervisor and Prism SKR software is being integrated into Dragoon Technology's UAS under the DIU's Project Artemis

May 22, 2025
GA-ASI Begins Ground Testing of Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft

GA-ASI has begun ground testing of its YFQ-42A uncrewed jet for the U.S. Air Force’s CCA program, targeting a summer 2025 first flight as part of next-generation combat aviation efforts

May 22, 2025

Featured Content

New Hybrid Solution for Long-Term GNSS-Denied Navigation

Advanced Navigation has demonstrated a major breakthrough with a Hybrid Navigation System designed for GPS-denied environments, combining a strategic-grade FOG INS with a laser velocity sensor

May 21, 2025
New Line of Kinetic-Capable Unmanned Surface Vessels Introduced

Red Cat Holdings enters the maritime autonomy market with a new line of combat-proven USVs, expanding its multi-domain unmanned systems for naval operations

May 20, 2025
Next-Gen Group 2 UAS Enters Production with Extended Endurance & Upgrades

Aurora Flight Sciences upgrades the SKIRON-X Group 2 UAS with greater versatility and tactical mission endurance, as well as announcing the hydrogen-powered SKIRON-XLE variant

May 13, 2025
Advancing Defense Capability Through Strategic Collaboration Defense Advancement works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive defense capabilities forward.