The United Kingdom’s latest Strategic Defence Review (SDR) has reiterated the country’s commitment to supporting NATO deterrence and defence requirements and, in so doing, has underlined the UK Royal Navy’s (RN’s) core role in underpinning those requirements in the North Atlantic region.
SDR is built around a ‘NATO first’ approach, as a core UK defence posture principle. “There is an unequivocal need for the UK to redouble its efforts within the alliance and to step up its contribution to Euro-Atlantic security more broadly – particularly as Russian aggression across Europe grows and as the United States of America adapts its regional priorities,” SDR stated. The UK’s contribution to NATO and to strengthening European security by playing a leading role in the alliance will be underpinned, for example, by further investing in an enhanced nuclear deterrent, updated conventional capabilities, and new defence technology, SDR added.
The North Atlantic challenge for NATO and its member states was reflected by UK Secretary of State (SofS) for Defence John Healey, in his statement to the UK House of Commons announcing SDR’s release.
“The threats we face are now more serious and less predictable than at any time since the end of the Cold War. We face war in Europe, growing Russian aggression, new nuclear risks, and daily cyber attacks at home.”
John Healey, UK Secretary of State for Defence
“In a more dangerous world, SDR confirms we must move to warfighting readiness. Warfighting readiness means stronger deterrence,” Healey continued. “We prevent wars by being strong enough to fight and win them.” Against this context, SDR is designed to transform UK defence, strengthen NATO, restore warfighting readiness, guarantee the UK’s submarine-based nuclear deterrent, and develop advanced technology, he said.
Healey underlined the RN’s evolving role in this context, stating that a new, hybrid, and expanded navy will include Dreadnought nuclear-powered ballistic missile and SSN-AUKUS nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSBNs, SSNs), cutting-edge warships, autonomous vessels, and aircraft carriers carrying the first ‘hybrid’ airwing in Europe.
Regarding the Dreadnought SSBNs and the wider importance of building the long-term future of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, SDR said that while the first Dreadnought boat will not commence operations until 2030, work should begin in the current Parliament to define the requirements for Dreadnought’s successor submarine, particularly to ensure Dreadnought boats can be replaced on time in the mid-2050s.
As regards the SSN-AUKUS programme, SDR stated the aim to build up to 12 boats. Healey said this aim would be underpinned by a programme of “continuous submarine production … that will allow us to produce a submarine every 18 months”. This programme will be enabled by further investments at the UK’s nuclear submarine shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness and nuclear reactor and propulsion site in Derby.
The RN’s next-generation, cutting-edge warship capability – based especially around the in-build Type 26 frigates – will be central to rapidly developing an enhanced anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability, integrated with other crewed platforms (like maritime patrol aircraft and SSNs) and maritime uncrewed systems (in all domains). Here, SDR highlighted the UK’s need to work with other countries and commercial partners to accelerate ASW capability delivery. SDR also recommended the RN consider evolution from a crewed anti-air warfare (AAW) platform like the in-service Type 45 destroyer to a minimally crewed or autonomous air dominance system that could integrate emerging technologies like directed energy weapons and seek enhanced connectivity with other UK integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) assets.
As regards maritime domain autonomous vessels, SDR highlighted crucial roles here of securing critical undersea infrastructure and patrolling the North Atlantic and elsewhere.
A UK Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) sails with Prince of Wales, plus other Royal Navy and NATO platforms, in the Mediterranean during the UK’s ‘CSG25’ deployment. UK SSNs make a core contribution to NATO deterrence and defence. (Crown copyright/UK Ministry of Defence, 2025)
In terms of the carriers’ ‘hybrid’ airwing, SDR defined this as encompassing fast air, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), and containerised, deck-launched long-range weapons. The UAV capability will include single-use systems, plus autonomous collaborative platforms designed to operate with fourth, fifth, and future generation combat aircraft.
Broadly, SDR highlighted some core roles for the RN, underscoring both the strategic importance but vulnerability of the maritime domain. The strategic importance includes the RN’s role in defending UK territories, deterring and defending against threats to national and NATO interests in the North Atlantic (including further developing and deploying the Royal Marines Commando Force to support NATO requirements), shaping the global security environment through at-sea presence in the Euro-Atlantic and beyond, and delivering the UK’s nuclear deterrent. The vulnerability is reflected in challenges to critical infrastructure security and freedom of navigation, plus the advent of advanced technology threats to maritime operations.
SDR highlighted a particular area of focus and speciality for the RN – deterrence and defence in the North Atlantic, including what the RN refers to as an ‘Atlantic bastion’ to counter underwater threats. Here, it highlighted the impact of the UK’s strategic nuclear deterrent deployed in a continuous at-sea deterrent (CASD) posture; fifth-generation aircraft carrier strike capability; ASW; littoral strike; and IAMD provided by the Type 45s.
To meet this and other core roles, SDR said the RN must “[move] towards a dynamic mix of crewed, uncrewed, and increasingly autonomous surface and sub-surface vessels, and aircraft; and developing next-generation [SSN] capabilities”. In so doing, it must continue evolving into a hybrid fleet consisting of a ‘high-low’ mix including more powerful but cheaper and simpler assets (and within core capabilities like its carrier strike group) as part of exploring alternative approaches to delivering a balanced, cost-effective fleet.
Naval News Comment
The UK Government stressed that the financial structure to support SDR’s aims is coming into place, with an extra GBP5 billion in defence spending already committed in 2025, the target of spending 2.5% of GDP on defence set to be met by 2027, an ambition to hit 3% of GDP by the end of the next Parliament (namely, 2034), and stated government commitment to spend what is needed to deliver SDR’s vision over the next decade and beyond. However, the precise details of what will be taken forward in equipment and capability terms will not be known until a defence investment plan, matching programmes to budgets, is set out around the third quarter of 2025.
Nonetheless, SDR contained some noteworthy capability points for the RN. First, it underlined the importance of the UK’s aircraft carrier capability, including the need to enhance it with a ‘hybrid’ airwing and long-range strike capabilities. Second, delivering up to 12 SSN-AUKUS boats through a ‘continuous submarine production’ programme is a statement of intent about UK desire to enhance NATO’s North Atlantic ASW outputs. Both capabilities represent a significant RN contribution to national and NATO security in the North Atlantic.