Overview
- First Sea Lord Gwyn Jenkins said Wednesday at RUSI that northern European naval chiefs signed a statement of intent to develop a UK‑led Northern Navies Initiative that would train and operate as a tightly integrated force complementary to NATO.
- Officials reported a roughly one‑third rise in Russian ship sightings near the UK over two years and said the Navy responded dozens of times in 2025, with the defence secretary earlier revealing three tracked submarines on a covert mission against UK undersea cables.
- Jenkins set near‑term fielding goals for a Hybrid Navy, with uncrewed patrols in the North Atlantic starting this year, carrier‑launched jet drones next year, and uncrewed escort vessels joining warships the year after.
- A recent Navy‑wide wargame of the hybrid approach indicated a large jump in combat mass, including a threefold increase in missile capacity, and Jenkins urged cutting red tape to move new systems from trials to frontline use faster.
- The initiative targets deep interchangeability across allies through common platforms, shared digital networks, logistics and stockpiles, with planning milestones pointing to more detail this summer and a formal declaration by the end of 2026 as analysts flag gaps in Army roles, sealift and sustainment.