DSEI UK has confirmed that four visiting warships will dock in London this September, with live demonstrations of autonomous and manned craft also scheduled to feature during the biennial defence exhibition.
The Royal Navy will be represented by Type 23 frigate HMS Iron Duke and Archer-class patrol vessel HMS Example. They will be joined by Belgium’s coastal patrol vessel BNS Pollux and Germany’s air-defence frigate FGS Sachsen.
Show organisers said the vessels would allow attendees to view naval platforms firsthand and engage with serving personnel, while the twice-daily waterborne demonstrations would highlight emerging technologies. These will include L3Harris’s Shadow Fox autonomous surface vehicle and ACUA Ocean’s USV Pioneer from the UK, as well as Latvian unmanned systems fitted with torpedo launch and air defence payloads.
HMS Iron Duke recently escorted a Russian vessel through UK waters and took part in Exercise Sea Breeze alongside NATO partners. HMS Example, based in Gateshead, continues to train officer cadets while contributing to multinational operations. BNS Pollux serves as a “Ready Duty Ship” within Belgium’s exclusive economic zone, and FGS Sachsen provides layered missile defence as part of the German Navy.
Rear Admiral (ret) Jon Pentreath, Senior Naval Advisor to DSEI UK, said: “This year’s DSEI UK is particularly exciting about representation from the maritime domain. Across the Naval Zone, attendees can expect to see a range of technologies and capabilities that promise to transform how unconventional tactics can integrate and work in conjunction with conventional naval warfare.”
He added: “The presence of warships and other vessels from the UK and allies such as Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and Latvia is really what makes DSEI UK unique in the defence trade show calendar.”
The exhibition comes as the UK Carrier Strike Group continues its deployment to the Indo-Pacific, underlining Britain’s emphasis on multilateral maritime cooperation.
DSEI UK 2025 will take place from 9–12 September at ExCeL London.
So to the 40 year old, GPMG armed ( for but not with) 54ton patrol boat HMS Example is going to showcase the modern RN..the levels of irony involved in this are literally killing me 😂🥴😵💫🫣🤯
I ain’t being funny right but we also have a gurt oooge Cruiser moored in the Thames.
Oh yes baby !
With those top of the range 6inch guns, early 20c naval chic at its best.. let’s bring it back baby.