Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon  – Wiki Commons

The ailing Royal Navy continues to suffer under Starmer’s yoke.

Caretaker British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to release tomorrow (30) the long-delayed – and highly controversial – defense investment plan (DIP).

As part of the plan, Starmer will reportedly announce the replacement of the Royal Navy’s destroyers with ‘smaller, cheaper warships.’

The current fleet of six Type 45 missile-defense ships will be replaced with the new – and as-of-yet undesigned – Common Combat Vessel (CCV) starting from the early 2030s.

Britain will build at least six new warships that will coordinate drones and other autonomous vessels to replace its ageing fleet of destroyers and frigates

The Royal Navy will procure at least six so-called “common combat vessels” (CCVs), which will act as hubs for uncrewed…

— Steven Swinford (@Steven_Swinford) June 29, 2026

The Telegraph reported:

“The new vessels, which have not yet been designed, would be crewed by sailors and act as a “control hub” for a series of drone warships, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said.”

The CCVs will be joined by a series of newly announced drone ships ‘packed with sensors and radars.’

“The ships will be built instead of the previously planned Type 83 destroyer. […] Some observers fear it is a cost-cutting exercise by the MoD to save cash, as the military faces a reported £28bn shortfall in its budget over the next four years.”

Plans for a new destroyer to replace Britain’s ageing warships have been scrapped as part of changes to the long-awaited defence investment plan.

The Royal Navy will instead procure at least six so-called “common combat vessels”

Sky’s @AmandaAkass reports ⬇️

Read more:… pic.twitter.com/NpPmTPIYZ0

— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 28, 2026

“Cdr Tom Sharpe, a retired frigate captain, said: ‘Destroyers have been the backbone of the Navy for so long it is almost incomprehensible to get rid of them. I’m deeply uncomfortable about this. It’s been done because someone has made the case it will be cheaper. And it will be, because it will be shit’.”

The British Defense Ministry says the cheap vessels will improve the ‘reach, resilience and firepower’ of the fleet, combined with drone ships.

“When in service, these CCVs will work alongside eight Type 26 submarine-hunting frigates and the five ‘Type 31’ general-purpose frigates. They will also support the UK’s two aircraft carriers, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth in the carrier strike group.”

‘I don’t think we’ve got enough money, and that’s really the bottom line.’

Azeem Ibrahim OBE and former British Army Officer Simon Diggins give their takes on the Royal Navy’s plans to replace Type-45 Destroyers with a new generation of drone-focussed warships. pic.twitter.com/RAfpflKM8v

— GB News (@GBNEWS) June 29, 2026

Read more:

Failing British PM Starmer Considers Abandoning Plans To Build New Royal Navy Destroyers

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