The Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender (D36) conducts a replenishment-at-sea with RFA Tidesurge (A138) while underway in the North Atlantic Ocean in support of exercise Formidable Shield 2023, May 11, 2023. (Photo: Royal Fleet Auxiliary via U.S. Navy/DVIDS)

The United Kingdom on Monday announced plans to replace a planned destroyer with a new drone controller ship instead, the Common Combat Vessels (CCV). The U.K. Ministry of Defence previously planned to procure a new Type 83 destroyer to replace the current fleet of six Type 45/Daring-class destroyers, but the new Defense Investment Plan (DIP) is changing to rely more on a hybrid drone controlling warship instead. The ministry said it expects delivery of the new CCVs to start in…