Royal Navy chief says Russia is 'looking for weaknesses' in UK defences and the threat of conflict is 'rising'

Published: 12:15 EST, 10 November 2026 | Updated: 12:19 EST, 10 November 2026 The head of the Royal Navy has warned Russia is 'looking for weakness' in Britain's defences.General Sir Gwyn Jenkins said the Kremlin will test this country's 'resolve' and that the threat of inter-state conflict is 'rising'.The First Sea Lord told an audience aboard HMS Prince of Wales the solution was to prove this country was 'serious' about facing down the threat.The £3.5billion aircraft carrier has docked in the Norwegian capital Oslo where it is hosting a conference of senior officers and ministers from across Europe.General Sir Gwyn insisted the Royal Navy was being remodelled to defeat Russia with 13 new frigates being built and 'several dozen' uncrewed platforms purchased to protect Britain's shores.The Royal Navy is also developing jet-powered drones, known as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), which will fly from HMS Prince of Wales and her sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth.However, until those additional those additional ships and uncrewed platforms enter service, the Royal Navy will remain at its smallest since the mid-17th century.Presently, its fighting surface fleet consists of just six Type 45 destroyers and seven Type 23 frigates. General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, head of the Royal Navy, has said Russia is looking for weaknesses in UK defences He told an audience aboard HMS Prince of Wales that the UK must show it is 'serious' about facing down the threat of war with Russia Sir Gwyn told the 2026 International Sea Power Conference: 'I am under no illusion about the world we face. The risk of conflict is rising.'Russia will continue to test our resolve and look for weakness. But war is not inevitably – not if our enemies believe we are serious.'Prepare for war if you want peace. That means building our strength, adapting faster, standing together and demonstrating that, if required, we are ready to fight.'Explaining why the Royal Navy is so small today, Sir Gwyn emphasised that the aim was to evolve into a modern fighting force within 1,000 days.Under his leadership the service is embarking upon its most extensive recapitalisation since the Second World War.He added: 'Everything the Royal Navy now does is focussed on the end of the decade, so that we are ready to protect our nation, alongside NATO and our allies.'We are relentlessly focussed on improving availability and getting more of our ships to sea. The future is undeniably bright. We are engaged in the wholesale renewal of the fighting fleet, the nuclear deterrent and the support that keeps both at sea.'Last week in Portsmouth the Royal Navy unveiled its first squadron made up entirely of autonomous platforms. It consists of Kraken uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) – how many is classified.The squadron's first task will be coastal defence, with the USVs monitoring approaches, protecting critical infrastructure and responding more quickly to hostile activity by Russian ships and other enemies.The USVs will also be equipped with a counter-drone capability. Again, the details of that remain restricted.Sir Gwyn appeared onstage alongside a CCA made by Northrop Grumman called Talon. It is expected to take off from Royal Navy carriers from 2027.He said: 'The pledge I make today is the Royal Navy will be ready, we will continue to lead, and when our allies need us we will not be found wanting.'The Royal Navy is rebuilding and getting ready for what could lie ahead. That is how we protect our nations. That is how we deter war.'