The Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless appears to be carrying a new counter-uncrewed aircraft system intended to defeat drones. UK Ministry of Defence images dated 10 October 2026 show the ship with two unfamiliar containers believed to be interceptor drone launchers.
The photographs capture HMS Dauntless conducting a passing exercise with five Ukrainian minehunters off the Isle of Wight at the conclusion of Exercise Lion Protector. According to the Royal Navy, the drill demonstrated the Ukrainian Navy’s ability to maneuver as a small task group alongside a major warship, represented by Dauntless. Lion Protector began in August with the aim of refining the Joint Expeditionary Force response to protect Europe’s northern flank.
The Royal Navy has said HMS Dauntless is preparing to escort UK flagship HMS Prince of Wales when the carrier resumes the Firecrest 2026 deployment to the High North.
In the images, two non-ISO containers are visible on the port and starboard sides of the ship’s main communication mast, which is painted black. Visual analysis indicates they likely house multi-cell vertical launch systems for interceptor drones. Based on nearby references, each unit appears to measure roughly 2 meters by 1 meter. Interceptor drones typically require sizable launch boxes to allow safe rotor spin-up before exit.
There are no obvious additional sensors installed, suggesting the interceptors would rely on the destroyer’s existing sensors for targeting, including the Sampson multi-function radar, the S1850M long-range radar on the aft mast, and the electro-optic suite. If correct, this points to a deeply integrated and mature C-UAS fit rather than a standalone or temporary solution.
Asked about the equipment, a Royal Navy spokesperson said, “Due to operational sensitivities, we are not going to discuss this equipment fit.”
Royal Navy Type 45 adaptation to drone threats
The apparent addition underscores how navies are responding to the growing threat from inexpensive drones. The Royal Navy has drawn lessons from recent operations, including HMS Diamond’s 2024 Red Sea mission, during which the Houthis launched drones and missiles at merchant traffic from Yemen.
HMS Dragon returned last week from a seven-month deployment in the Mediterranean and Red Sea without the new fit being sighted, indicating Dauntless may be the first Type 45 to trial the capability ahead of her High North assignment.
Experience with drone attacks and swarming, practiced in exercises such as Sharpshooter and WildFire and informed by Red Sea deployments, has highlighted magazine depth limits across European air-defense ships. Type 45 and Horizon-class destroyers have 48 vertical launch cells, while French air-defense FREMMs have 32.
To address this, the Royal Navy has been moving toward DragonFire laser weapons and a helicopter-based C-UAS approach using Martlet/LMM from the Wildcat. The C-UAS system observed on Dauntless suggests an ongoing shift from a purely conventional air-defense posture to a more resilient configuration designed to withstand saturation by drones.
The French Navy is also evolving with new sensors, jammers, guns, FPV drones, and interceptor drones. Similar trends are evident in other services, including US Army counter-drone tests along the Mexican border.
Interceptor drones add another layer to a ship’s defenses and allow crews to tailor responses to specific threats. They can provide a cost-effective alternative to expending high-value missiles against every hostile drone.