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Written question asked by Andrew Bowie (Conservative) on Thursday, 2 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 6 July 2026. It was answered by Luke Pollard (Labour) on Friday, 10 July 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Type 83 Destroyers

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on the Royal Navy’s high-end air defence capability of cancelling a planned class of up to eight Type 83 destroyers intended to replace the Type 45 fleet.

Answer

The role of Maritime Air Defence, currently delivered by Type 45 Destroyers, will be delivered in the future by a mix of crewed Common Combat Vessels and uncrewed, autonomous missile (Type 91) and sensor (Type 94) ships.

The decision to move to this hybrid approach was taken after detailed analysis of current and future threats, including lessons from ongoing conflicts. The specific analysis is necessarily classified, but the mix of crewed and uncrewed systems will produce a more flexible force, with greater missile capacity while also improving mass. The alternative, an expensive, exquisite platform such as the Type 83, would have resulted in too few ships to cover all the Royal Navy’s tasks, increasing risk. Detailed planning for the transition between Type 45 and the Hybrid Navy Maritime Air Defence capability will be undertaken in consultation with industry, which will determine whether a Type 45 extension is implemented. A final decision is not expected until 2027-28.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
15397
Session
2026-27
Related items
Warships: Procurement
Monday, 20 July 2026
Written questions
House of Commons
Type 83 Destroyers
Monday, 20 July 2026
Written questions
House of Lords
Ballistic Missile Defence
Monday, 20 July 2026
Written questions
House of Lords
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Type 83 destroyers
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk