Roughly £1.5 billion for naval autonomy sits below the planned spending on either Chinook or Merlin support. It is far below the combined helicopter total. Uncrewed systems may prove valuable, but this allocation resembles development funding rather than money for transforming the fleet. A revolution in naval warfare cannot be inferred from concepts that have not been funded through design, production, and support.
Notable Point · 25:29-27:02
Hybrid Navy ambitions are tested against their budget
Spending on the proposed Hybrid Navy is compared with ordinary helicopter support to judge whether the plan funds a genuine transformation.