The Royal Navy prefers the American Mk41 vertical launch system to the European SYLVER for its Type 31 frigates

In 2015, faced with a defense budget that remained below needs, the new British Defense Review reduced the format of the Type 26 anti-submarine frigates program, intended to replace the 13 Type 23 frigates of the Duke class, to 8 ships . At the same time, to maintain a format of 20 large combat surface units, i.e. 7 Type 45 anti-aircraft destroyers and 13 frigates, London undertook to launch the design of a new lighter and above all much more economical frigate than the Type 26. Thus, in December 2018, the Royal Navy arbitrated in favor of Babcock's Arrowhead 140 model for its future Type 31 frigate, which will be ordered from 5 copies at a particularly low cost £250m per unit excluding system, and £400m including systems.

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