The Ministry of Defence has released images of the Royal Navy’s next generation of warships.

These renderings show the new Type 26 Global Combat Ship (T26 GCS), which measures around 148m in length and will become one of the Royal Navy’s most advanced vessels.

Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, First Sea Lord, said: “The T26 GCS will be a multi-mission warship designed for joint and multinational operations across the full spectrum of warfare, includingcomplex combat operations, maritime security operations such as counter piracy, as well as humanitarian and disaster relief work around the world.

“It will be capable of operating independently for significant periods or as part of a task group and will play a major role in the defence of this country for many years.”

The ship is expected to feature vertical missile silos capable of housing a range of different weapons, a Medium Calibre gun, a hangar to accommodate a Merlin or Wildcat helicopter and a flexible mission space for unmanned air, surface and underwater vehicles.

The MoD is currently planning to build 13 of these vessels, however an official figure won’t be confirmed until the middle of the decade.

Watch a video of the future warship below: