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All in on the hybrid navy – the Royal Navy’s surface fleet gamble
The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) will confirm the RN’s most significant shift in surface warfare for decades. Rather than replacing the Type 45 destroyer with another generation of large air defence ships, the RN intends to build a distributed force of crewed and uncrewed vessels designed to fight as an integrated system. The DIP offers […] The post All in
What the Defence Investment Plan means for the Royal Navy
The Defence Investment Plan (DIP), published on 30th June, finally provides indicative funding and timescales to many of the ambitions set out in the Strategic Defence Review published more than 10 months ago. In this overview, we look at the key decisions impacting the RN. Nuclear enterprise remains king Between 2026-30, £47 billion will be […] The post Wha
Royal Navy Merlin crews sharpen anti-submarine skills in Norwegian fjords
RN Merlin helicopter crews have completed two weeks of intensive anti-submarine warfare training in Norway, using the country’s deep fjords and coastal waters to hone skills against conventional submarines in one of the Merlin Helicopter Force’s regular overseas exercises. Exercise Green Eel, known locally as Grüner Aal, saw more than 80 personnel from RNAS
Squaring the circle: the nine decisions that will make or break the Hybrid Navy
With the Defence Investment Plan committing to Common Combat Vessels (CCV) and a family of uncrewed platforms, the Royal Navy’s hybrid navy has moved from ambition to funded programme. The question is no longer whether to build it, but how. In this guest article, Jake Rigby, Head of Innovation and Research at BMT, argues that […] The post Squaring the circle
Royal Navy launches strike drone from XV Patrick Blackett in landmark trial
The RN has launched a one-way attack drone from a ship underway for the first time using the experimental vessel XV Patrick Blackett off the Dorset coast. The trial forms part of Project VANTAGE, a tri-service programme to field maritime one-way effectors (OWE) as the service expands the use of uncrewed systems. The Callen-Lenz Nyan […] The post Royal Navy l
British jets fly first NATO air defence missions from HMS Prince of Wales
British F-35Bs have conducted NATO air defence operations from the Royal Navy’s flagship while deployed off Iceland, marking the first time the alliance has flown such missions from a European aircraft carrier. The deployment also coincides with the UK assuming command of key elements of NATO’s high-readiness Allied Reaction Force (ARF). Now in the […] The p
Russian Bear aircraft drops sonobuoys close to UK Carrier Strike Group
A Russian Tu-142 (NATO Reporting name ‘Bear-F’) maritime patrol aircraft flew low and close to Royal Navy flagship, HMS Prince of Wales, in the Norwegian Sea, dropping tens of sonobuoys in the carrier’s vicinity before being escorted away by jets from the carrier. Here we briefly consider why Moscow risks such unsafe manoeuvres and what […] The post Russian
Pioneer USV validates long-endurance maritime surveillance concept
ACUA Ocean has completed a five-day offshore demonstration of its Pioneer uncrewed surface vessel (USV), showcasing its ability to carry out persistent surveillance and hydrographic survey tasks simultaneously without requiring physical intervention. The trial highlights the growing potential of autonomous vessels to support future Royal Navy and maritime se
Four amphibious vessels to be built for the Royal Navy based on Dutch design
The UK and the Netherlands have confirmed they will jointly procure new amphibious transport ships in a £2.4 billion programme. Each nation will operate 4 vessels. This decision was trailed in the Defence Investment Plan published on 30th June, but further detail was announced today to coincide with the NATO Summit in Turkey. The RN […] The post Four amphibi