The Financial Times reports the Royal Navy will order at least six
general-purpose combat vessels able to deploy unmanned air and undersea systems,
a plan due to be announced this week. The ships, intended as part of the Type 45
destroyer replacement, will be the navy's first hybrid-powered warships and are
expected to enter service in the early 2030s. The Labour government is set to
abandon a long‑planned eight-ship Type 83 destroyer programme and cancel the
five-ship Type 32 frigate programme first announced in 2020 in favour of the new
general-purpose vessels. The defence secretary’s final plan is expected to add
at least £1bn to defence spending, raising new defence investment by more than
£14.5bn versus earlier plans. Government says the vessels will act as
unmanned-systems control hubs, extending operational reach and firepower without
a proportionate increase in crew or cost.
