The UK is ramping up its efforts to bring cutting-edge drones to the flight decks of its aircraft carriers, with new platforms, trials, and investment pointing to an unmanned future for British air power at sea.
In a written statement to Parliament this week, Defence Minister Lord Coaker confirmed that the Royal Navy is advancing the development of a Hybrid Carrier Air Wing, combining crewed and uncrewed aircraft to bolster the combat punch of the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers.
The move comes as part of a broader push across the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force to field autonomous systems, both in the skies and below the waves.
Lord Coaker told the House of Lords on 24 July that the RAF’s next-gen Protector drone and the new Storm Shroud system will both enter operational service this year, replacing older fleets and offering longer range, better endurance, and NATO-compatible systems.
Meanwhile, the Royal Navy is already deploying uncrewed aircraft in the field. Under Operation Highmast, Malloy T150 rotary-wing drones have been providing logistics support, and the Peregrine system is now operational in the Gulf.
But it’s the future of the UK’s carriers that has defence watchers talking. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that drones capable of strike missions from aircraft carriers are actively under review as part of the government’s Strategic Defence Review.
While no final decision has been made, the industry is already preparing. One of the leading candidates is General Atomics’ Gambit 5, a stealthy, carrier-capable drone that could work alongside the UK’s F-35B fleet.
“We’ve been thinking of this as a new concept… designed for carrier launch and recovery,” said General Atomics spokesperson C. Mark Brinkley. “It could be ISR-focused, like Gambit 1, or a hybrid strike platform.”
The company says Gambit 5 builds on over 15 years of uncrewed combat aviation experience, including tens of thousands of flight hours with the MQ-20 Avenger. Its advanced navigation and autonomy make it a serious contender for carrier integration.
Inside the Royal Navy, senior figures are backing the shift to autonomous platforms. At last year’s ‘Combined Naval Event’, Colonel Phil Kelly, head of Carrier Strike and Maritime Aviation, highlighted the shortfall in F-35 numbers, warning that the UK cannot resource both carriers with full strike capacity.
His answer? Automation.
“We must increase our range, endurance, and persistence in order to build advantage,” he said, describing how the Future Maritime Aviation Force (FMAF) and Project Ark Royal aim to modernise the UK’s carrier air wing through drones.
The Navy has also made clear that the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers were built with future upgrades in mind, including uncrewed systems. Former Defence Minister James Cartlidge previously stated that the ships were designed to accommodate new technologies throughout their lifetime.
Beyond drones, the MoD confirmed ongoing work on uncrewed surface and underwater vehicles, with trials and development underway across both naval and air forces. These efforts are backed by the Defence Investment Plan, which is aligning with broader UK ambitions to integrate autonomy across all domains of warfare.
Speaking in Parliament, Defence Minister Maria Eagle summed up the direction of travel:
“Fixed Wing Autonomous Collaborative Platforms have the potential to enhance operational advantage and will be evaluated in collaboration with the Royal Air Force. Decisions on future capabilities are subject to the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review.”
While nothing is set in stone yet, it’s clear that drones are no longer on the horizon, they’re about to join the fleet.
