Europe's "Revolution at Sea"

In September 2025, Germany announced plans for Large Remote Missile Vessels (LRMV), "a missile-toting new class of uncrewed vessels that will serve as arsenal ship 'wingmen,' supporting conventional surface combatants." Today's revival of the arsenal ship concept is timely as Europe is determined to boost deep precision strikes and antimissile capabilities.

LRMVs will act as "floating missile platforms" in support of F127 frigates (whose firepower is also increasing 50%), equipped with vertical launch systems (VLS) for air and missile defence and long-range strikes. Tomahawks are being considered, but so is the 3SM Tyrfing anti-ship missile being developed by Norway's Kongsberg. There is also Kongsberg's air-launched Joint Strike Missile (JSM), based on its Naval Strike Missile (NSM), recently purchased by Norway with Tore Sandvik, Minister for Defence, arguing, "It is the first weapon that allows smaller nations like Norway to credibly threaten heavily protected targets on land and at sea."

This represents a trend worldwide, from large superpowers to smaller nations, to increase firepower at sea and better equip ships with air and missile defence as well as long-range, deep precision armaments. Such strategic shifts have finally brought the arsenal ship idea to life.

Arsenal Ship Roots

The arsenal ship concept dates back to 1988 when U.S. Vice Admiral Joseph Metcalf III proposed a "Revolution at Sea" of "Future Strike Cruisers" with "cruise missiles in VLS cells from stem to stern." French engineer René Loire offered a design in 1996 of an "arsenal ship," or "floating magazine," with few sailors, lots of missiles and lower costs.

The closest the US came was with Zumwalt-class destroyers commissioned in 2016, originally armed with Advanced Gun Systems (AGS), but AGS ammunition was cancelled and the destroyers became overly expensive. Zumwalts will now be refitted with VLS and "revitalized with the integration of Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missiles, transforming them into powerful long-range strike platforms." Nevertheless, retired Colonel T. X. Hammes observes that "The planned U.S. fleet lacks the number of vertical-launch cells to win a missile fight, especially if it attempts to operate within U.S. missile range of China."

Indeed, recent satellite images of a Chinese shipyard indicate that China is developing an unmanned combat vessel equipped with VLS. Its structure suggests a design following the arsenal ship concept and could serve as a "floating magazine," providing China with a stealthy maritime capability loaded with long-range missiles for deep precision strikes capable of hitting land, air and sea targets.

With such a development and with its recent Venezuelan conquest, the US Navy is stretched thin and has diverted resources away from protecting Europe's many surrounding waters. Maritime Security specialist Nick Childs observes that "Europe's leading navies have shrunk dramatically since the end of the Cold War" and lack, "offensive firepower, especially in terms of land-attack capability" and "No European ships can currently provide the full missile defence capabilities of many US Navy cruisers and destroyers, and they are also deficient compared to their US counterparts in terms of magazine depth and overall weapon stockpiles." This was acutely felt with Europe's inability last July to respond effectively to attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthi militia.

Arming Europe's Porcupines

European efforts to change this are underway and the arsenal ship model is being revived as changing geopolitical realities has meant changing strategies. The Council on Geostrategy, observes that, "Cruise and ballistic missile threats are resurgent, anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) systems have vastly matured, and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) navies—alongside those of NATO allies and partners—face growing pressures to do more with fewer ships against increasingly capable adversaries. In this context, the idea of an arsenal ship—adapted to present realities—may not only be viable, but urgently necessary."

In this vein, a 2021 report from Britain's Defence Committee found that, "When ships do get to sea they act like porcupines—well defended herbivores with limited offensive capabilities... We welcome the promises from the Department that future vessels will carry the offensive missiles they need and in particular that this will restore a land attack capability to the fleet." And the UK is moving forward on this promise. Commodore Michael Wood said in June 2025 that the Royal Navy is working on an unmanned surface vessel called Type 91, "equipped with a deep magazine of missile launchers," that will serve as an arsenal ship for its future Type 83 destroyer.

The UK has also been working with France and Italy on the Stratus (formerly FC/ASW) programme with pan-European MBDA developing two complementary missiles for long-range strikes and SEAD (suppression of enemy air defence). The Stratus-LO missile (low observable) for stealthy missions and Stratus-RS (rapid strike), a supersonic precision cruise missile, will be launched from ships and aircrafts. Luke Pollard, British defence procurement minister, recently announced Type 26 frigates will be armed with Stratus-LO, with the RS to potentially follow. Similar decisions from France and Italy are expected as author Thomas Newdick argues, "As it stands, the Stratus missiles look set to become some of Western Europe's most significant next-generation standoff weapons."

Whilst France has not revealed intentions to pursue arsenal ships à la René Loire, it did announce it is doubling the missile load of its new Naval Group-made FDI frigates. This will include Aster 15 and 30 air defence missiles, but also land attack capabilities. They will resemble the fourth FDI Greece recently ordered, apparently named HS Themistocles, capable of firing the MdCN (1000km+), which has proven itself in Syria, and is considered as the 'European Tomahawk.' This missile would be ideal for an arsenal ship, optimised by its ability to be used in multiple environments. After a successful simultaneous firing test from a frigate and a submarine, it will soon be tested from land with the LCM, its ground-launched version which will be available shortly. Naval News says, "Customers operating MdCN missiles and LCM systems will belong to an exclusive club of countries possessing very long-range Deep Precision Strike capability from below and from the surface of the sea as well as from the ground."

Finally, plans by The Netherlands revealed in 2024 for new vessels built by Dutch Damen will also "pack additional air defense missiles" and closely resemble arsenal ships. Newdick observes, "The two new support vessels represent a very interesting design, aiming to put a useful amount of defensive and offensive firepower and surveillance capabilities on a small and relatively inexpensive hull, with very little in the way of a crew to support these systems, but to have them work closely with more traditional warships." Plus, the Netherlands intends to pursue long-range, ground-launched weapons with officials considering joining the European Long-Range Strike Approach (ELSA). ELSA is an initiative including France, Germany, Poland, the UK, Sweden and Italy to develop European-made long-range missiles for all environments.

Europe Has the Might, but Does It Have the Will?

Contemporary geopolitical tensions demonstrate that power today relies on possessing dissuasive firepower—and lots of it. Recent developments indicate growing recognition that Europe's surrounding waters demand more missiles-at-sea. Europe has the technology and budgets, but will need greater political will and funding to actually accomplish a "revolution at sea." As Andrius Kubilius, the EU's Defence and Space commissioner said, "will we find additional resources? That is the question, but I trust that those in charge will find the answer."