Unmanned ASW escorts need manned command and presence ships

Will future navies center on drones controlled by larger ships?

Partly; unmanned ASW escorts could extend a manned frigate, but coercion and rules-of-engagement problems mean drones cannot replace crewed presence ships entirely.

A cheap unmanned anti-submarine escort could use a River-class-sized hull with torpedoes and rotary UAVs. A Type 26 would supply command, control, and maintainers. Such vessels could extend the frigate's search and attack reach without duplicating a full crew on every hull. Unmanned ships remain vulnerable to deliberate bumping or harassment because no sailors' lives are immediately at risk. The legal and political case for using lethal force to protect them is therefore harder, so crewed ships remain important for presence missions.