Liberal Democrats Propose Defence Package For Six New Frigates

The Liberal Democrats have proposed a £4.42 billion defence package to order six additional Royal Navy frigates and expand British shipbuilding capacity. Designed to tackle mounting security risks from Russia, the strategy involves expanding the anticipated Type 26 fleet from eight to 11 vessels and the Type 31 group from five to eight by the middle of the 2030s.

Funding the Warship Expansion and Shipyard Construction

The proposed capital spending includes £2.85 billion for three additional Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigates at an estimated cost of £950 million per ship. An additional £1.2 billion would cover three Type 31 general-purpose frigates based on an assumed unit cost of £400 million in 2025/26 prices. To boost shipbuilding capacity, the party also intends to channel £370 million from a proposed Defence Bonds scheme toward building two new facilities at roughly £185 million each, using BAE Systems’ Janet Harvey Hall on the Clyde as a model.

The party calculates annual running costs of £20 million for each additional ship by 2034/35, totalling £120 million annually for all six vessels.

Assessing Gaps in Arctic Defence and Fleet Availability

The defence proposals follow a House of Commons Defence Committee report which warned of serious capability gaps affecting British operations in the High North. The committee reported that low availability among destroyers, frigates, and attack submarines raises questions about the UK’s ability to protect critical undersea infrastructure and North Atlantic reinforcement routes against Russian activity. The Ministry of Defence acknowledged a serious anti-submarine warfare gap while stating it remains clear-eyed about the threat from Moscow.

Parliamentary projections indicate the Royal Navy frigate crisis could prove even graver than reported, with the total frigate count dropping to four in 2029, three in 2030, and two in 2031, before finally climbing back to eight by 2037. The committee urged that no further towed-array Type 23 frigates leave service until a Type 26 replaces them on a one-for-one basis.

Public Polling and Strategic Responses to Russian Activity

The Liberal Democrats cited polling conducted by Savanta between 29 May and 1 June 2026 involving 2,234 UK adults.

Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson James MacCleary MP said We cannot afford to sit on our hands while Putin’s aggression intensifies and our national security weakens. We need a plan which gives confidence to British industry and allows our manufacturers to get on with delivering for Britain’s long-term security. The parliamentary committee also recommended that the UK consider shifting the focus of the Joint Expeditionary Force toward countering threats in the High North amid uncertainty regarding future US support for NATO.

Parliamentary Deadlines and Future Fleet Deliveries

The government faces a two-month deadline to respond to the Defence Committee’s request for a plan to raise frigate, destroyer, and submarine availability before 2030. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats argue that the additional hulls should be ordered during the next Parliament and delivered by the mid-2030s.