Babcock is preparing to offer its Arrowhead 140 frigate design to the United States Navy as Washington seeks proven allied designs to build quickly, with initial Pentagon discussions underway ahead of an expression of interest due this month.
Babcock Pitches Arrowhead 140 to Pentagon Officials
British defense giant Babcock has confirmed it is putting its Arrowhead 140 frigate forward for consideration by the United States Navy, marking a historic opening for foreign designs in American fleet procurement for the first time since the Second World War. The platform forms the basis of the Royal Navy’s Type 31 ships, and initial discussions have already taken place with Pentagon officials as the company prepares to submit its formal expression of interest.
Sir Nick Hine, head of Babcock’s marine business and a former Second Sea Lord, made the assessment clear regarding the contest.
“insane” not to respond.
Sir Nick Hine, head of Babcock’s marine business and a former Second Sea Lord
The opportunity follows a presidential memorandum issued on August 13 that applies a national security waiver to let allied designs enter US Navy procurement streams, permitting up to two ships to be constructed abroad before manufacturing transitions entirely to domestic yards.
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Babcock Plans Joint Bid with Huntington Ingalls Industries
Any formal bid by Babcock is expected to be jointly structured with Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), which stands as America’s largest military shipbuilder. Under that framework, Babcock would supply the design and intellectual property while American workers handle construction and through-life support. The United States Navy is searching for a small-to-medium general-purpose escort warship capable of protecting convoys, hunting submarines, and fighting enemy surface ships with mature, volume-buildable technology.
However, the competition is crowded with rival international designs. The contending vessels include Japan’s upgraded Mogami-class, South Korea’s Chungnam-class, and Turkey’s Istanbul-class. Hanwha’s ownership of the Philadelphia Shipyard gives the South Korean option an early edge in domestic manufacturing capability, while HII also maintains industrial ties with HD Hyundai as a principal designer of the Chungnam class.
Deepening Transatlantic Ties Across Submarine and Surface Programs
The partnership between Babcock and HII extends well beyond the current frigate audition. The two companies signed a strategic agreement in 2023 to combine HII’s REMUS uncrewed underwater vehicles with Babcock’s submarine weapon handling and launch systems. HII awarded Babcock an outsourced contract in December 2025 authorizing its Rosyth yard to build complex structural assemblies for Block VI attack submarines.
Together, the partners have also conceptualized ARMOR Force, a hybrid fleet model where a Type 31 functions as a Common Command Vessel directing uncrewed surface vessels from HII’s ROMULUS family. Meanwhile, HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division serves as the lead yard for the Navy’s FF(X) frigate program after receiving a $283 million lead-yard support award earlier in 2026.
Execution Challenges Face Babcock Before November Pentagon Assessment
While the market opportunity highlights a structural shift in American naval procurement, Babcock’s marketing pitch carries documented execution challenges. The Arrowhead 140 platform recently cost the company a £140 million charge for late-stage rework on the Royal Navy’s five Type 31 frigates, alongside an estimated £100 million revenue reversal stemming from complex late design changes.
Despite congressional political opposition in the House seeking to block funding for foreign-built combatants, the Pentagon’s formal assessment of the submitted proposals is scheduled for release by November 12.