An all-drone navy still needs defended command ships

Should the Royal Navy go all-in on drones as its main way to project power?

Drones can distribute offensive weapons, but they still require protected command, sensing, communications, logistics, and human judgment.

The proposed drone fleet is compared with the loyal-wingman concept: a crewed unit works with smaller platforms carrying weapons, sensors and communications relays. One naval version would pair a Type 83 with roughly four uncrewed vessels, each around 2,500 to 3,000 tons to provide useful seakeeping. The crewed ship would concentrate sensors and defensive weapons such as surface-to-air missiles, lasers and point defence. The uncrewed craft would carry the offensive missiles and possibly smaller attack drones, accepting the risk of closing from detection range to firing range. If those craft were lost, the command ship would retain its defensive firepower to protect a carrier or cover withdrawal. It could then take on replacement attack vessels and return. The panel favours this as a fleet force multiplier and warns that budget pressure could turn it into a proposal to replace the supporting warships. Human control of firing decisions remains essential to the argument, particularly when distinguishing a fishing boat from a target in peacetime or a grey-zone encounter.