UK Drops Type 83 Destroyer Plan, Will Build Six Drone Vessels Instead

The UK government will scrap plans to replace its ageing Type 45 destroyer warships with the Type 83 concept vessel and will instead build at least six new Common Combat Vessels equipped to deploy drones, the Ministry of Defence said on 28 June 2026.

The new vessels will coordinate uncrewed systems in the air, on the surface and under the sea to deliver more resilient air defence, the ministry said. They will be used to counter Russian activity in the North Atlantic and High North, protect critical underwater infrastructure and enhance Nato deterrence.

The programme will also include support vessels and provide work for British shipyards. Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis said the new equipment would be designed and built for the increasing threats the country faces. Outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer committed to publishing the defence investment plan before the Nato summit in Turkey on 7 July 2026.

John Healey resigned as defence secretary on 11 June 2026 and Al Carns resigned as armed forces minister in recent weeks. Both cited insufficient extra funding from the Treasury. The ministry said the plan had been refreshed over the fortnight since Healey's departure, and Dan Jarvis has reportedly secured additional funding.

The ministry allocated £500 million to equip the UK's elite Commando Force with new boats and the latest drone and autonomous technology. The government spent 2.3 percent of GDP on defence in 2025 and has committed to raising that share to 2.5 percent by 2027, with a longer-term Nato ambition of 3.5 percent by 2035.

Healey's resignation letter stated the earlier draft plan would have reached 2.68 percent of GDP by 2030.