UK £5 Billion Defence Investment Plan: Drones Replace Destroyers

On 29 June 2026, the UK government published its Defence Investment Plan, committing more than £5 billion (approximately $6.6 billion) to uncrewed and autonomous military systems over four years, the largest such investment ever made by a European NATO member in peacetime. The plan cancels the Type 83 destroyer programme, replacing it with Common Combat Vessels designed as hubs for uncrewed systems. Project NYX will introduce up to 24 autonomous armed drones alongside Apache helicopters by 2030; Project Corvus will procure up to 24 surveillance aircraft replacing the Watchkeeper fleet. For the first time in UK doctrine, some platforms will be authorised to employ weapons without per-strike human approval. Critics including the International Institute for Strategic Studies have questioned whether unproven concept vessels and a £4.7 billion funding gap pending Budget 2026 can sustain the ambition.