Britain plans to add an experimental unmanned rocket platform, along with large unmanned ships and submarines, to its war fleet before 2030, with an investment starting at £1.5 billion (about $2 billion) over four years.

This step comes as part of London's efforts to modernize its naval capabilities amid growing geopolitical challenges.

These commitments came in a written response from the Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Luke Pollard, on 10 July, in response to British Defence Minister James Cartlidge, who asked about the construction timelines, workforce requirements, and funding allocations for the Type 91, Type 92, Type 93, and Type 94 ships and the common combat ship, according to the UK Defence Blog.

Pollard explained that the Ministry of Defence will inject at least £1.5 billion over the next four years to start the hybrid navy project, which involves integrating autonomous systems underwater, on the surface, and in the air to enhance deployment and sustainment capabilities.

Large Unmanned Ships

He added: 'By 2030, we aim to operate the first large autonomous ships, including a prototype unmanned rocket platform and extremely large unmanned underwater vehicles (XLUUVs), equipped with payloads developed through the AUKUS program, and the optimal distribution of this £1.5 billion investment among the different ship types will now be determined in consultation with industry.'

The commitment amount of £1.5 billion exceeds the £1 billion mentioned in Cartlidge's question.

The allocation of funding among the different ships, as well as the programs themselves, has not been finalized, as it was confirmed that construction schedules and workforce requirements 'will be determined as the programs progress through the design and evaluation phases.'

British Defence Investment

Pollard confirmed in his response that the defence investment plan 'sets out the Royal Navy's future approach to a range of autonomous and hybrid naval capabilities, including Type 91, Type 92, Type 93, and Type 94 systems, alongside the common combat ship.'

The group includes rocket platforms (Type 91), underwater sensor platforms (Type 92), large underwater vehicles (Type 93), and sensor platforms (Type 94), alongside common combat ships, Type 26 frigates, and Type 31 frigates, as part of an investment described by the plan as unprecedented in naval capabilities.

The 2030 target is interesting, especially in light of the ministry's separate statement, issued on the same day, which states that no date has been set for the Type 91 submarine to enter service as a class, with a prototype in the water before any official decision to introduce it into the fleet.

The underwater component, corresponding to the Type 93 submarine, builds on what the Royal Navy has previously achieved, through the experience of the large unmanned submarine XV Excalibur from Plymouth.

The British Hybrid Fleet

The start of deliveries by 2030 represents a strong milestone for the hybrid fleet in the near term, before the arrival of the six common combat ships scheduled for delivery as the Type 45 destroyers retire in the mid-2030s.

Defence companies have already begun work on both the platforms and their weapons, as the British ministry has requested missile silos capable of remaining launch-ready for 30 days unattended on unmanned ships.

Navantia UK announced this week that its shipyard in Appledore can build two large autonomous ships simultaneously, delivering two ships per year.

The location for building the Type 91 to Type 94 family of ships remains unclear, as Paul Sweeney, Scottish Labour MP, urged the government this week to resolve these issues by identifying prime shipbuilding locations and awarding work directly to ease demand.

Unmanned Platforms

Type 91 is an unmanned rocket platform, an autonomous surface ship carrying missile silos to increase the fleet's missile storage capacity, as part of the future naval air defence and offensive system alongside coastal combat ships.

The prototype is scheduled to enter service by 2030, with no service entry date specified for this class.

Type 92 is an unmanned underwater sensor platform, dedicated to anti-submarine warfare and underwater surveillance, and is the anti-submarine warfare and seabed monitoring element within this class.

This platform aligns naturally with efforts to protect underwater infrastructure, and although the UK Ministry of Defence has not detailed its characteristics beyond the designation, it is likely to tow a sonar and be a surface vessel.

Type 93 is an extra-large unmanned underwater vehicle (XLUUV) based on experiments with the XV Excalibur submarine conducted in Plymouth, with payloads developed through the AUKUS Pillar 2 project, which the Defence Innovation Partnership (DIP) identifies as its flagship project. The first vessels are also aiming to enter service by 2030.

Type 94 is similar to Type 92 in being an autonomous patrol vessel that extends the fleet's radar and sensor coverage, and it has been named alongside Type 91 as part of the naval air defence mix replacing the Type 45's role.

These investments are part of the UK's commitment to enhancing cooperation under the AUKUS agreement to develop unmanned submarine technologies. The precise timeline remains contingent on the outcomes of the design and evaluation phases. These new systems are expected to play a pivotal role in the Royal Navy's transformation towards a hybrid fleet combining manned and unmanned elements.