UK scraps Type 83 destroyer plans, orders six hybrid warships for drone warfare

The shift to hybrid warships

On Sunday, the Ministry of Defence announced it was scrapping plans for a next-generation Type 83 destroyer class and would instead procure at least six Common Combat Vessels (CCVs). The new hybrid ships are designed to act as control hubs for uncrewed systems in the air, on the surface and underwater. The decision also drops earlier proposals for five Type 32 frigates, first announced in 2020. The current fleet of six Type 45 destroyers is due to be retired by the end of 2038; the CCVs are expected to enter service from the early 2030s, working alongside the existing Type 26 and Type 31 frigates. The government said it had opted against the Type 83 because that would have involved "a small number of large, expensive ships."

These Common Combat Vessels will provide our dedicated sailors with hybrid ships that are designed and built for the increasing threats we face.

Funding and political fallout

The Defence Investment Plan has been mired in internal government disputes since it was first due last autumn, with wrangling between the Ministry of Defence, Downing Street and the Treasury. Former defence secretary John Healey resigned this month, saying the funding on offer fell "well short" of what was required. His successor, Dan Jarvis, secured an additional £1bn, taking the total extra funding to £14.5bn above previously planned levels. Healey had pushed for closer to £18bn, while officials had earlier indicated that £28bn was needed. Opposition critics described the £1bn uplift as a "drop in the ocean".

What the new vessels will do

The Ministry of Defence said the CCVs would extend the Navy's "reach, resilience and firepower without a proportional increase in crew or cost." The ships will coordinate drones for surveillance, strike and resupply missions. The plan also includes uncrewed ground vehicles for the army to resupply frontlines and evacuate casualties, as well as high-speed boats for commandos and advanced strike drones. Underwater drones and sensor platforms are being prioritised partly in response to increased Russian submarine activity near critical undersea cables in the Atlantic, according to ministerial warnings cited by The Independent.

a control hub for uncrewed systems… extending the Navy's reach, resilience and firepower without a proportional increase in crew or cost.

Political timeline and next steps

Outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to unveil the full defence blueprint within days, possibly as early as Tuesday, as he seeks to cement his legacy before leaving office. His likely successor, Andy Burnham, has already seen and signed off on the plan, according to the Sunday Times. A spokesperson for Burnham said Starmer had made clear "this was a decision that had been made." Housing Secretary Steve Reed told Sky News on Sunday that the UK had to prepare for "whatever the last war was like" and that the plan was "days away". Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, a former chief of the defence staff, said the next government might need to find more money during this Parliament.

We have to be ready for any future war and what that will be like, not whatever the last war was like.