On 29 April 2026, Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord, delivered the inaugural Lord Fisher lecture, outlining a plan to transform the Royal Navy through the introduction of a Hybrid Navy that blends crewed, uncrewed and autonomous platforms. The plan, part of the Warfighting Ready Plan, aims to increase the Navy’s warfighting mass, survivability and lethality while reducing unit cost. Jenkins highlighted the growing threat from Russia, noting a rise in submarine activity and the need to protect critical national infrastructure in the North Atlantic. He cited recent uncrewed drone successes in Ukraine and the Gulf as evidence of the effectiveness of autonomous systems. The speech also announced the first fleet of uncrewed vessels under Project Beehive and a new partnership initiative with northern allies to strengthen collective maritime deterrence.
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