The digital thread is an emerging concept central to the continuing modernisation of naval shipbuilding. The digital thread is the backbone around which the knowledge of the product system is brought together and subsequently exploited. It is central to the cost-effective realisation of digital twins across the lifecycle. More so than ever before, this knowledge is codified in a large number of increasingly sophisticated digital models. These are now used through-life across the design, build, delivery and operation of naval systems, returning otherwise inaccessible insight into both systems and programmes. This paper presents an industrial perspective on what seems to be emerging as important in the incremental development of the scalable and flexible digital threads and twins of the future. It highlights important technology opportunities and addresses practicalities of collaborating on these technology-centric challenges. The aim in presenting this perspective is to team more broadly and effectively on these challenges and opportunities, accelerating the development of the next generation of digital threads and twins that will revolutionise both the delivery and user experience of future ship systems.