53: Steve Prest Pt2 - Britain’s Hybrid Navy And Thinking Up Front

In part two of the discussion, Steve relates details of his time as Fleet Robotics Officer in the Royal Navy and then provides insider insights into the challenges of making the ‘hybrid navy’ a reality.

Iain asks if the ‘hybrid navy’ option is being pushed so hard due to the UK Government’s desire not to spend more on Defence. Steve explains how it is complicated topic and not a case of politicians and bean counters against the Royal Navy.

While welcoming the development, and concurring with the inevitability of such a hybrid path, Steve stressed that there must be some serious thinking up front about how it will operate - and be sustained on operations - in an innately hostile maritime environment.

He poses some key questions and suggests some answers, providing key perspectives that government, defence industry and senior naval decision-makers should take on board.

It is a compelling break down of various aspects of the big autonomous systems gamble being taken by a nation and its navy.

• The September 2026 edition of Warships IFR is published on 21.8.26 in the UK and also deployed globally. Visit the magazine web site http://bit.ly/wifrmag

Follow the mag on X @WarshipsIFR
Facebook @WarshipsIFR
There’s also Warships IFR TV on YouTube @warshipsifrtv3668

To subscribe visit https://warshipsifr.com/subscriptions/

•Steve Prest is a former Commodore in the Royal Navy who had a varied career that included a tour in Afghanistan, an exchange with the French Navy and being Weapon Engineer Officer in HMS Westminster during that warship’s operations off Libya. Steve was also Commander Weapon Engineer in the carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, bringing the ship out of build in 2017. His other jobs in the navy included being Programme Director of the Type 31 frigate programme and the RN’s first Fleet Robotics Officer. Leaving the RN in 2023, Steve, who is an Associate Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute, now has a portfolio career in the Defence sector and beyond. This includes working as an independent consultant, advisor and lecturer, all of it aiming to fulfil his stated mission of helping ‘brilliant people to do amazing things.’

For more from Steve Prest check out his occasional blog https://fightingsailor.wordpress.com/ and follow him on X @fightingsailor

•Iain Ballantyne is the founding and current Editor of ‘Warships IFR’ magazine (first published in 1998) along with its ‘Guide to the Royal Navy’ (since 2003) and ‘Guide to the US Navy’ (since 2018). Iain is also author of the books ‘Hunter Killers’ (Orion) and ‘The Deadly Trade’ (Weidenfeld & Nicolson), both about submarine warfare, plus the award-winning ‘Killing the Bismarck (Pen & Sword) and the novel ‘Martin’s Eyes’ (Chiselbury). In 2017 Iain was awarded a Fellowship by the British Maritime Foundation, which promotes awareness of the United Kingdom’s dependence on the sea and seafarers.

Visit Iain’s web site www.iainballantyne.com and follow him on X @IBallantyn at https://bsky.app/profile/iainballantyne.bsky.social and/or Insta https://www.instagram.com/iballantyn/