Ships to add beyond the Royal Navy pipeline

What ships should the Royal Navy build beyond those already in its present pipeline?

The alternatives include three LHDs and four SSGNs, large gun-and-missile cruisers, or a third Queen Elizabeth-class carrier, supported by more escorts.

The first proposal adds three large amphibious ships and four conventionally armed SSGNs built around the Dreadnought submarine design. Together with the deterrent boats, that creates an eight-submarine force for nuclear and conventional deterrence, while the LHDs and Queen Elizabeth carriers provide five decks able to operate F-35Bs and Merlins. Other panelists prefer Zumwalt-derived missile-and-gun cruisers, a British nuclear-powered Kirov-style presence ship, or a third and slightly enlarged Queen Elizabeth-class carrier. A two-cruiser proposal is challenged on availability grounds, with four suggested instead. The discussion also distinguishes British frigates' anti-submarine emphasis from destroyers' air-defense role. A proposed general-purpose escort combines those roles in an enlarged Type 45 design, with two twin 5-inch mounts and additional OTO Melara guns suggested.