May 23, 2026 04:25 PM
(This post was last modified: May 23, 2026 04:27 PM by C C.)
RELATED (scivillage): Why the US can't escort ships in Strait: "This ain't your father's tanker war"
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Could the Royal Navy have 1,000 ships? It’s possible-but there’s a catch
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/c...-ps-052326
EXCERPTS: During World War II, the UK’s Royal Navy reached its all-time peak size; for a brief time, it was the world’s largest naval force, with more than 1,400 vessels, including major warships with 15 battleships and battlecruisers, seven aircraft carriers, 66 cruisers, and 164 destroyers.
Some eight decades later, the Royal Navy has a mere two aircraft carriers, six Type 45 guided-missile destroyers, and seven Type 23 frigates-with plans to retire several of these warships before their replacements enter service. To suggest that the Royal Navy is a shell of its former self is an understatement.
Yet an ambitious plan laid out this month could see the UK’s senior service once again have as many as 1,000 vessels. These won’t be massive battleships, additional carriers, or even hundreds of destroyers, however.
Instead, First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins and Defence Minister Luke Pollard have supported the concept of a hybrid force built around a large number of uncrewed vessels. Speaking at the Combined Naval Event 2026, Pollard called it “the most exciting transformation of the Royal Navy since its creation nearly 500 years ago.”
A hybrid fleet could be necessary for the UK to keep pace with Russia and other potential adversaries and to have the vessels needed to address multiple hotspots around the globe. Lessons have also been learned from current conflicts, notably that in Ukraine, where Kyiv’s forces have already employed aerial drones to strike targets deep inside Russia. Moreover, Ukraine’s sea-based drones have been successful in crippling the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet.
“If it doesn’t work in Ukraine, I don’t want to buy it,” Pollard said-adding that the Ukraine conflict was a reminder that drones have given Kyiv an unexpected advantage.
[...] Not Everyone Is Investing in Naval Drones. Now in the 21st century, the Royal Navy could be poised to make a comeback, gaining great advantages as it did in the 19th century. That should be notable, as the United States seeks to build a new class of manned battleships!
In late 2024, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk posted a video of a Chinese aerial drone display on X (formerly Twitter), with the caption, “Meanwhile, some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35.”
That sentiment could be equally true when it comes to naval warfare. The UK is looking to the future with uncrewed warships and sea-based drones, and the US wants to build more manned vessels. Time will tell who is right! (MORE - missing details)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Could the Royal Navy have 1,000 ships? It’s possible-but there’s a catch
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/c...-ps-052326
EXCERPTS: During World War II, the UK’s Royal Navy reached its all-time peak size; for a brief time, it was the world’s largest naval force, with more than 1,400 vessels, including major warships with 15 battleships and battlecruisers, seven aircraft carriers, 66 cruisers, and 164 destroyers.
Some eight decades later, the Royal Navy has a mere two aircraft carriers, six Type 45 guided-missile destroyers, and seven Type 23 frigates-with plans to retire several of these warships before their replacements enter service. To suggest that the Royal Navy is a shell of its former self is an understatement.
Yet an ambitious plan laid out this month could see the UK’s senior service once again have as many as 1,000 vessels. These won’t be massive battleships, additional carriers, or even hundreds of destroyers, however.
Instead, First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins and Defence Minister Luke Pollard have supported the concept of a hybrid force built around a large number of uncrewed vessels. Speaking at the Combined Naval Event 2026, Pollard called it “the most exciting transformation of the Royal Navy since its creation nearly 500 years ago.”
A hybrid fleet could be necessary for the UK to keep pace with Russia and other potential adversaries and to have the vessels needed to address multiple hotspots around the globe. Lessons have also been learned from current conflicts, notably that in Ukraine, where Kyiv’s forces have already employed aerial drones to strike targets deep inside Russia. Moreover, Ukraine’s sea-based drones have been successful in crippling the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet.
“If it doesn’t work in Ukraine, I don’t want to buy it,” Pollard said-adding that the Ukraine conflict was a reminder that drones have given Kyiv an unexpected advantage.
[...] Not Everyone Is Investing in Naval Drones. Now in the 21st century, the Royal Navy could be poised to make a comeback, gaining great advantages as it did in the 19th century. That should be notable, as the United States seeks to build a new class of manned battleships!
In late 2024, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk posted a video of a Chinese aerial drone display on X (formerly Twitter), with the caption, “Meanwhile, some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35.”
That sentiment could be equally true when it comes to naval warfare. The UK is looking to the future with uncrewed warships and sea-based drones, and the US wants to build more manned vessels. Time will tell who is right! (MORE - missing details)