UK scraps plans to replace destroyers with focus on drone warships

Britain will abandon plans to replace its aging Type 45 destroyers with a new Type 83 class and instead acquire at least six Common Combat Vessels (CCVs), the Ministry of Defence announced on Sunday.

The Royal Navy's six Type 45 destroyers are scheduled to retire by the end of 2038. Under the government's long-awaited Defence Investment Plan, they will now be replaced by hybrid CCVs designed to serve as command hubs for uncrewed systems, reflecting Britain's growing focus on drone warfare and modern military capabilities.

Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis said the new vessels would be designed to address evolving security threats while supporting Britain's shipbuilding industry.

The ministry said the CCVs will coordinate uncrewed systems operating in the air, on the surface, and underwater. The vessels are expected to enter service in the early 2030s and will operate alongside crewed frigates and other planned autonomous ships.

The announcement comes after former Defence Secretary John Healey stepped down earlier this month following disagreements over the Defence Investment Plan. Healey criticized the government for failing to provide sufficient funding to strengthen the country's defense.

Since taking office, Jarvis has shifted the plan's focus toward near-term priorities, including new high-speed boats for commandos and advanced strike drones.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the government's long-awaited defense strategy will be released within days, emphasizing the need to prepare for the changing nature of future conflicts.

"We have to be ready for any future war and what that will be like, not whatever the last war was like," Reed told Sky News. -Reporting by Michael HoldenEditing by Ros Russell/Reuters