Royal Navy's fleet evolution: Unveiling the future with type 83 destroyers

James Cartlidge, State Minister in the British Ministry of Defence, provided updates on the delivery timeline for these new vessels in response to an inquiry by John Healey, the shadow defence secretary. Cartlidge mentioned that the new destroyers are currently in the conceptual phase but highlighted their critical role in the UK's future air defence. The inaugural type 83 destroyer is slated for launch at the decade's close.

The upcoming units will be integral to the Future Air Dominance System (FADS) programme, primarily tasked with engaging aerial threats and bolstering missile defence. The plans to acquire these new destroyers were first announced in 2019, with a preliminary concept revealed two years later. Until recently, details regarding the programme were scarce, including the total number of ships planned. They are intended as successors to the currently serving type 45 destroyers.

A year after the initial announcement, the Ministry of Defence indicated that the type 83 destroyers would counter new threats that have emerged in recent years. Much like the existing type 45 destroyers, these new vessels are expected to offer effective defence against hypersonic missiles. In June of the previous year, initial visualisations of the new destroyers were shared with the public.

It's important to note that the final design may still undergo significant changes. Currently, the vision for these destroyers suggests they will act as mobile anti-aircraft platforms. Each ship could feature two sets of vertical launch systems, each with sixty-four cells, culminating in a total of 128 launch cells. These will be substantial ships, displacing between 9,000 and 12,000 tons.

The experiences gleaned from the conflict to our east and recent incidents in the Red Sea will likely influence the design process. Notably, the British defence press has pointed out that these ships might require a more versatile capability compared to the type 45 destroyers, which are specialised in air defence. Why? A likely reason is the potentially limited number of ships the Ministry of Defence may procure. Initially, the expectation is to commission no more than six next-generation destroyers, mirroring the count of type 45 destroyers. Another factor is the Ministry's penchant for making cuts in armament programmes, seen when only eight of the planned thirteen type 26 missile frigates were purchased. The consensus among experts is that in anticipation of cuts, it might be prudent to acquire fewer but more capable ships, rather than a greater number of less versatile vessels that would need support from additional units.

The Royal Navy is set to bolster its ranks with a total of thirteen modern missile frigates by the mid-2030s – eight of type 26 and five of type 31. These will form the core of the fleet and take on a significant portion of its missions. The type 26 will specialise in anti-submarine warfare (ASW), while the type 31 will serve as multi-role frigates. The Ministry of Defence aims for the Royal Navy to maintain a minimum of nineteen combat ships, comprised of destroyers and frigates.

In 2020, Boris Johnson announced the addition of a third variant of missile frigate, the type 32, to the British fleet, catching many off guard as there were no previous mentions in official documents about acquiring this new class of vessel. Johnson's plan involved procuring five type 32 frigates, raising the total of the Royal Navy's combat ships to twenty-four.

The introduction of type 32 frigates to the fleet is anticipated by the decade's end. These ships are expected to be versatile units, but with a significant focus on serving as platforms for unmanned systems, which would enhance capabilities in submarine warfare and mine countermeasures.

In September last year, the Ministry of Defence confirmed ongoing work to refine the concept of the new frigates. The importance of the programme was emphasised, not only for the future readiness of the fleet but also for the growth of the shipbuilding industry, with an objective to maximise the number of combat ships within the Royal Navy.

However, discussions about the future type 32 frigates soon vanished from the strategic considerations of the fleet, as the Ministry shifted focus onto the ships currently under construction, leaving the type 32 out of the limelight. This shift led to concerns within the British defence community and among politicians regarding the absence of these additional units in the fleet's modernisation strategy.

Despite this, Alex Chalk, then a State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, assured that the type 32 project had not been abandoned, with ongoing analysis and efforts to enhance cost-efficiency based on the initial concept. Unfortunately, a report by the UK's National Audit Office (NAO) at the year's end highlighted that the type 32 frigate programme was facing a budget shortfall, with the Ministry of Defence prioritising new destroyers and existing contracts. Incorporating the planned frigate programme would surpass the budget by approximately £6 billion, contributing to a total projected deficit of £17 billion across all defence programmes. This has led to speculation that, as a result of cost-cutting measures, the type 32 frigates may ultimately emerge as a modified second series of the type 31 frigates, only partially aligned with the original specifications.