HMS Defender, which has been undergoing Sea Ceptor CAMM installation alongside a major propulsion refit in Portsmouth, is expected to complete the upgrade by late summer 2026, Minister Luke Pollard confirmed in a parliamentary answer on 21 April, narrowing the previously reported end-of-year timeline.
This is the latest concrete public timeline for a capability upgrade that has been in development since 2021 and forms part of the most significant enhancement to the class since it entered service.
Asked by Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty to specify when the first vessel would receive the fit, Pollard said “the CAMM capability is being fitted to the Type 45 fleet under the Sea Viper CAMM programme, which will augment the existing Anti-Air Warfare capability of those platforms”, adding that “installation on the first vessel will be completed in late Summer 2026.”
The Sea Viper CAMM programme, for which MBDA UK was awarded an 11-year contract in 2021, adds a new 24-cell silo for Sea Ceptor missiles forward of the existing 48-cell SYLVER launcher, increasing each destroyer’s total missile capacity from 48 to 72, a 50 per cent increase in magazine depth that addresses one of the most persistent criticisms of the class since it entered service, namely that six ships carrying a combined total of fewer than 300 anti-air missiles represented a thin margin for a fleet responsible for protecting carrier strike groups and fulfilling a range of standing NATO commitments simultaneously.
Sea Ceptor itself is already well established in Royal Navy service, having been fitted to the Type 23 frigates and slated for the Type 26 and Type 31 as well, and its integration onto the Type 45 under the Sea Viper CAMM designation exploits the UK’s existing CAMM missile stockpile and maintains a high degree of commonality across the surface fleet, which has practical benefits for logistics, training and maintenance that are easy to understate but genuinely significant at scale.
The timing is also relevant given the broader threat environment, with recent conflicts having demonstrated the ability of relatively low-cost drones and missiles to saturate naval air defences and impose disproportionate costs on even capable platforms, and the Sea Ceptor addition giving the Type 45 a much greater capacity to engage multiple simultaneous low-end threats without expending the more expensive Aster rounds that are better held in reserve for higher-end threats, a point that has taken on added urgency as drone and missile attack profiles have become more sophisticated and widespread.
Whilst good news, an 11 year contract would indicate another long period of inactivity for the destroyer fleet.
You do understand that ships will get fitted as they go through refit?
Are you sure? My understanding was refit and fitout were being done at different docks / suppliers?
You would have thought the ship’s name might be in included in the article. I believe it’s HMS Defender.
Good, but another dragged out programme lasting years. Five years to fit a system for a class that has spent a good part of time in port.
Should have been done during the engine upgrade. Should also have added Martlet launchers either side to add real cost effective anti-drone capability.
They did PIP and CAMm during this refit.
And no magic martlet launcher for ships exist.
The ones used in Ukraine and on Wildcat are any system capable so yes it does exist.
Read again
For
Ships
Not actually true Hugo.
Martlet has also been developed for Ship Installation by the manufacturers, either on It’s own pedestal or paired with the 30mm Bushmaster.
And the Navy wasn’t interested, it wasn’t safe
Whats the point of fitting martlet when the wildcat carries them? Its safer for the ship to engage further away sticking the same missile on a helicopter and thats 50 miles away from the ship offers better protection cheaper than trying to integrate martlet into the combat system.
Wildcat has limited load and and availability why not add an extra capacity? Agree the Wildcat is the first option at range.
Shame If It’s 50 miles away in the wrong direction though !!!
What do you want all the type 45s in dry dock ?
Should also replace the main gun.
Too much work and no money for it.
Good news for a change, even if its a stupid dragged out contract. Should have all the Type 45s up graded by the time they retire in 12 years time. There has to be some logic in that, up grading the last opne just before it goe out of service. Only the MOD could do that again like HMS Albion/Balwark, money well spent.
A good excuse to cut the number of available ships to one.
Oh hang on !
I wonder If the Dreadnaughts will have a similar program In a few decades, to Increase the number of launch tubes ?
Makes you think though doesn’t it.
Cut’s cut’s and more cut’s.
No, the dreadnoughts are a weapon of last resort, they are not going to increase the launch silos, there is no point to that.
Chill Hugo, You missed my point entirely.
I’m lobbying my MP to ask about fitting a 300 meter tall crows nest tower to Dreadnought.
The type 45’s full potential has always been held back by the FFBNW mindset
After being in service for how many years? They are only now getting Seaceptor.
It took years to get Harpoon fitted to them, and now the promised NSM fittout is being dragged out too.