The review gives the Royal Navy a coordinating role in protecting maritime traffic and seabed infrastructure, backed by wider government and commercial surveillance. It proposes a hybrid carrier wing and the integration of underwater, surface, and airborne drones, including Protector, with Type 26 frigates, P-8 aircraft, and attack submarines. Automated minehunting forms another part of the plan, although it still needs platforms from which to deploy the new systems. The Type 83 successor to Type 45 might evolve into a minimally crewed or autonomous air-dominance system using directed-energy weapons. The concern is that exploring these possible systems can defer decisions on developing and buying replacements.
Chapter · 3:22:35-3:25:54
The 2025 hybrid fleet and autonomous air defence
The 2025 review combines crewed ships and aircraft with autonomous surveillance, minehunting, carrier aviation, and a possible uncrewed air-defence successor.