The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) programme has officially been renamed the Multi-Role Strike Ship, effective from 25 February 2025. In a written parliamentary response, Minister of State for Defence Maria Eagle clarified that “no external consultants were involved” in the renaming process.
The confirmation came in response to two written questions from James Cartlidge MP (Conservative – South Suffolk), who sought clarity on both the date of the change and whether any external input had influenced the decision.
“The name change from Multi-role Support Ship to Multi-role Strike Ship (MRSS) took effect on 25 February 2025. No external consultants were involved,” said Eagle.
The Ministry first acknowledged the rebranding in March, in response to a separate question on Fleet Solid Support Ships. Eagle explained at the time that the updated name was chosen to “better reflect the platform’s function” and confirmed it would not affect existing programme requirements.
“MRSS will be a Royal Navy crewed warship with a combat system, self-defence and offensive capabilities,” she stated. “The amended name better reflects the platform’s function and does not indicate any change of requirement.”
What is the MRSS?
The Multi-Role Strike Ship will be a central element of the UK’s future amphibious and littoral warfare capability. The vessels are intended to replace multiple ageing platforms, including the Albion-class landing platform docks, Bay-class landing ships, and the RFA Argus.
First announced in the 2021 Integrated Review and the accompanying Defence Command Paper, the MRSS concept aims to provide a flexible, multi-mission platform capable of transporting Royal Marines and equipment, delivering strike capabilities, and supporting humanitarian operations.
Up to six vessels are expected to be procured, with the first of class scheduled to enter service by 2033. The programme remains in its concept phase, with an Outline Business Case expected by mid-2025, followed by an assessment phase beginning in 2026.
The MOD is working with the National Shipbuilding Office (NSO), Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), and UK industry to refine the requirements and designs. The programme is funded through the existing defence budget, and the MOD maintains that it is on track to meet operational timelines.
More orders and less bla bla.
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HMS Boaty with added bits.
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Remember when T26 began as the Global Combat Ship? The GCS is dead, long live the Multi Role Strike Ship.
Oh that’s nice👍now can we actually build them please?
Agincourt perhaps 😁
No orders, just more words, is re naming meant scare Russia? as its a sad way of doing noting but making out you are doing some thing.
Will they actually have some teeth to actually STRIKE, meaning real weapon systems that and take out targets at range, so a SSM system in line with the rest of the Fleet and a modern MAIN GUN. Otherwise it will always be in need of an escort which the RN no longer has and be Strike in word only….. But lets get them ordered too ASAP as the RN is failing almost in every way of once a proud service with real teeth……………… 🙁
If they’re meant to support the UKCF/LRG, you’d think a main gun for NGS and ability to hit targets on land with precision should be standard, not an ASM.
With CIWS for self defence, and hopefully CAMM.
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I suspect they will possibly get NSM as it’s a very useful long range precision fire, and as it’s a due role missile it will cover ASuW.
Main gun wise I’m not sure if they will go for a 5inch those things now getting close to 100million dollars a pop, I suspect they will develop a drone option for cheaper fires to complement NSM. I imagine they will focus the main gun as a defensive weapon, so 57mm, CAMM is a must.
I think they will very much be focusing these platforms on littoral warfare and that means drones, lots of drones and space for the command and control of drone based capabilities.
I honestly think we will get 6 and I suspect they will be the swiz army knife of the mid 21c RN, patrol frigate, littoral warfare, minewarfare etc all rolled into one.
Interesting Swiss army knife analogy. Re mine warfare: it looks like any RN vessel that can host a 20ft containerised ‘Mine hunting command centre’ and launch USVs and UUVs can function as a mothership. I see the affordable T31 as the present everywhere patrol frigates, information gathering and next level up from R2 in the defence engagement ‘trip wire’ hierarchy and capable of supporting light raids. Where we get the crew from I don’t know, but I agree that 6 off MRSS is the number – PAX Britannica – the ability to intervene in the littoral. I’m not military but say, 2 landing spots and 2 landing craft, ability to land a company with light vehicles, mortars, Martlets, drones, light guns maybe. A Mk8 4.5in would give NGS up to 12 miles or so inland I think. Beyond that the landed force might be stretched. But that’s probably enough capability to rescue UK citizens, overthrow a dictator or seize a port for the Points to discharge a bigger force; but not enough to retake an entrenched force like the Falklands. Better make sure the Chinese don’t take Iceland 😂
I suspect that the T32 is being rolled into MRSS.
I expect a small second tranche of T31s, but I think the MRSS is essentially making up the frigate numbers that should have always been 20
So maybe
8 T26
6 MRSS
8 T31
That would essentially put the RN back to the 97 review frigate and commission assault ship numbers wise.
I have a suspicion that we will also see a change around with the point class replacing.. I think they will replace these with a proper basic military axualary strategic sea lift/logistics set of vessels run by the RFA.. essentially the replacing the points and bay class ( which are actually logistics vessels).
I’d imagine they would have a reasonable defensive capability built in, but a lot of their offensive ability may be containerised? Pods and mission bays seem to be the way forward so that they can be adapted as needed. Plus, their main strike weapon is Royal Marines, much of the offensive stuff they may have will be to support them. So maybe drones, loitering munitions etc?
I’m not so sure that being able to strike a target further inland than the marines can reach is going to be helpful. A task like that may fall to another vessel, these are more about closer to shore operations?
I guess a lot will be determined by how far the RM are expected to operate in-land from the coast? Unless the ship is equipped with the 5” Mk45, then anything past 20 miles will require either a ship launched missile or airborne support form a helicopter/drone. I very much doubt these ships will have the Mk45 due to cost. Perhaps they could repurpose the Mk8 though?
If say they were expected to operate some 50km in-land, then the price point per round significantly increases. As the weapons to reach these ranges get much bigger. However there are some sovereign based possibilities on the horizon. The Mk110 57mm would seem to be an obvious choice over same the Leo 76, as I doubt the RN want another gun calibre, even if it’s more effective for NGFS than the 57.
The first is the land precision strike (LPS) missile. Which is supposed to be a marriage of the CAMM rocket motor and the Brimstone. Which is expected to have a range of 80 to 150km.
The second is a surface launched SPEAR-3. Which as a surface launched missile would likely have a range closer to 100km. But more importantly can loiter, especially over closer targets. Both of these weapons can also be directed at a target by a 3rd party, such as a JTAC on the ground. Thereby giving the “raiding party” a significant punch when required.
Difficult to gauge size from the concept pic-how many tons?
It’s just a place holders
Strike surely has to mean significant offensive capabilities. If we are still in the Concept phase (are we?) then I am sure they are thrashing the details out regards armament.
Navy Lookout reported that ‘A pre-concept study for MRSS was conducted between 2017-2018 by the MoD’s Naval Design Partnering (NDP) team’, so are we now in the Concept phase or Assessment phase? Given the passage of time, I would hope the latter.
People need to realise the Falklands Landings were an aberration, and one that could equally as well have ended in a total disaster (and nearly did). The days of stooging around a hostile shore lobbing a few shells while ‘our brave lads’ storm the beaches are long gone. Anyway, who are we planning to invade anyway?
Were “not” going to war with China over Taiwan for a start, Commandos I suspect are going towards reorientate towards their original function, raiding covert insertions, over the horizon strike, stealth etc. even the much bigger USMC seems to have got the memo on that one, “yes Mr Trump, by all means park your great big Amphibious Ships within Missile range of our coast for days on end……”
Trouble is going your way of thinking we never thought that there would be a major war on the European continent again did we?
There has to be a plan for ALL eventualities no matter how small the likelihood!
Indeed and you may need to land another hit after the initial insertion when you have partial control of the area. So something better than a ferry is required.
Why the ‘our brave lads’ in quotes? Unnecessary comment in an unnecessary statement. Most wars are unpredictable, Falklands is no less an aberration than any other war, because all wars are aberrations. Good job you are not in charge.
Consider places such as Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland, faroes as being potential commando scale hot spots in future as well as ability to get forces onto multitude of more remote islands around UK and Norway etc.
Wonder if they are going to go down the Absalon-class route combine elements of both escorts and landing ship. You could then deploy them to the places the bays get deployed but don’t have to worry as much about escorts with places like the Caribbean.
8 years from now until entering service seems utterly unachievable if T26, Astute and FSS are anything to go by.
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Close to shore ops.
Needs ability to deal with UAVs, Helos, aircraft and things tucked behind hills and headlands etc
Dragonfire
CAMM/CAMM-MR
76mm / 5″
120mm mortars?
HMS Hurty-Feelings or HMS Be Kind would be perfect makes for today’s paper tiger, woke RN.
It will need to defeat drones, cruise missiles and unscrewed surface vessels that Ukraine has perfected and sub surface unscrewed attack drones. It it self escorts it will need to be quiet, decent sonar and anti torpedo and anti sub defence with a decent Camm up to the proposed MR spec and some powerful dragon fire weapons.
Add command and control and all the amphibious bits that will be one expensive beast.
Minister said ‘ no external consultants were used’. I should hope not, what a waste of taxpayers money that would have been. Sadly it looks like after 120 years the RFA, as we knew it, is on thin ice.
So erm. RN crewed?
Anyone told the RFA that yet? Because if these are going to do anything that involves State 1 the RFA are going to need to have a major culture change…..
Yep looks like they are going for full commissioned warships.. which they really had to do. Having your front line assault ships that will undertake belligerent actions is legally wise dodgy as hell.. and some bright spark will either take you to the international court.. or use the legal loophole to do something horrible to the crew if they are captured ( there is president around auxiliary captains being shot as illegal combatants when auxiliaries initiated belligerent actions).
MRFBNWS Multirole For But Not With Ships