The new vessels will replace the Royal Navy's six current Type 45 destroyers
Britain will replace its ageing destroyer warships with at least six “hybrid” vessels, the government has announced, as it prepares to unveil its much-delayed plans for defence investment spending over the next decade.
The new vessels, which will replace the Royal Navy’s six current Type 45 destroyers from the early 2030s, will “mix crewed and uncrewed capabilities and be more suited to the pace and nature of modern warfare”, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.
They are equipped to deploy drones and to work alongside various other ships and uncrewed platforms and underwater assets, “representing a once-in-a-generation investment in new maritime capability”, it added.
The announcement late Sunday follows a turbulent period for the ministry and sector, after both the defence and armed forces ministers quit earlier this month in a row over funding for the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan (DIP).
