Robots and autonomous mine-hunters are to revolutionise UK Royal Navy operations after the Defence Secretary announced a £ 75 million injection into new technology.
The funding boost will be spent on two new autonomous mine-hunter vessels with cutting-edge sonars to enable remote mine-hunting at higher range, speed and accuracy in the Gulf. Part of the funding will also go to a new joint military and industry hi-tech accelerator, NavyX.
Pushing Boundaries at the Forefront of Change
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: 'Today’s announcement will not only allow the Royal Navy to rapidly harness dynamic, cutting-edge equipment at speed, but also ensure they can outpace adversaries both on the water and the sea floor.'
'Technology is moving faster than ever, and with the defence landscape rapidly evolving, we must ensure our Armed Forces are continually pushing the boundaries at the forefront of this change.'
Autonomous Mine-hunters
By operating autonomous mine-hunters, the Royal Navy will not only improve current capability and put sailors at less risk, but also ensure the Royal Navy can evolve to meet developing underwater threats.
Admiral Sir Philip Jones KCB ADC DL, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, said: 'Across the generations, our willingness to embrace innovation has kept us one step ahead of our adversaries, and to assure our continued success on operations into the future, it is vital that the Royal Navy continues to be equipped with the latest cutting-edge capabilities we need to address the rapidly evolving challenges that pose a threat to our national interests around the globe.'
Hi-tech Accelerator NavyX
The Royal Navy’s new autonomy and lethality accelerator will look to overhaul and turbocharge the way the Royal Navy buys the latest technology, streamlining the process and creating a brand-new facility where industry, military and academia can test, assess and purchase new equipment.
After securing an extra £ 1.8 billion for defence and overseeing the Modernising Defence Programme, the Defence Secretary has dedicated millions of pounds to transforming defence, arming the British military with innovative technology through fast-tracking new projects.
Picture: HMS Hurworth operating in the English Channel. The Hunt Class are the largest warships ever constructed out of Glass Reinforced Plastic. Although orginally built as dual purpose Minesweepers and Minehunters, the class are currently configured to function only in the minehunter role (by UK Minstry of Defence).
