The European Union is set to commence the construction of a new generation combat ship.
The European Union has commenced work on a next-generation combat ship that is expected to be operational around the 2040s. This was reported by the head of the maritime division of the European Defence Agency, Jürgen Skrabek, as conveyed by Defense News, writes UNN.
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It is noted that EU defense ministers may sign a letter of intent to implement the project within two weeks. According to him, six countries are very interested in this initiative, four of which possess significant naval fleets.
Estimates suggest that the EU countries will need at least thirty combat vessels in the future. Skrabek doubts that all these ships will be constructed under the European Combat Vessel program, which could have a budget exceeding 20 billion euros.
Chairman of the European Naval Industry Group, Fernando Migueles Garcia, mentioned that this could involve the creation of a "mother ship" capable of carrying unmanned aerial vehicles:
The Director of the Concepts and Capabilities Office of the EU Military Staff, Ignacio Cuartero, added that the compact vessel should be able to counter "the entire spectrum of threats," including drones and hypersonic anti-ship missiles.