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LONDON – The Royal Navy has ordered what it says will be the largest and most complex unmanned submarine ever operated by a European navy in a bid to bolster Britain’s ability to protect undersea cables and pipelines.
A 12-metre submarine will be delivered to the Royal Navy over two years in a contract secured by M Subs, a small specialist underwater vehicle manufacturer based in Plymouth, South West England.
The £15.4 million ($18.9 million) deal, announced on 1 December by the Ministry of Defence, is “the first step towards developing a powered autonomous submarine that will operate alongside crewed submarines – including Astute-class hunter-killers and their successors – or independently.”
Called Project Cetus, the vehicle, named after the mythical sea monster, is the latest in a growing list of investments by the British, aimed at strengthening its ability to protect key underwater infrastructure from possible sabotage – a risk heightened by recent attacks. Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
Last month the MoD announced it was holding a competition, worth around £20 million, for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, the Navy’s supporting arm, with a remotely operated deepwater salvage capability.
News of that development came just days after Defense Secretary Ben Wallace announced that leaders plan to fast-track the delivery of the first of two multirole ocean surveillance ships ordered by Britain to protect underwater cables.
The first ship is expected to be handed over in the next few weeks, ahead of the original delivery date.
In a statement announcing the unmanned submarine deal, Wallace said: “To meet the growing threats to our underwater infrastructure, the Royal Navy needs to stay ahead of the competition with advanced capabilities. Project Cetus, along with bringing forward the MROS ships, will further our commitment to protecting the UK and our allies. It will help to ensure that one has the right tools.”
The bespoke unmanned vessel ordered by the British is the length of a London double-decker bus, has a diameter of 2.2 meters and weighs 17 tonnes.
The British have already put money into a dedicated tech trial ship, and the MoD said the Cetus is considered “equivalent to sea trials”.
The battery-powered ship will be able to cover a distance of up to 1,000 miles in a single mission, although the range can be extended with the installation of additional batteries, the MoD said.
Other enhancements to a modular-built vessel may include an optional section that can be added to double its capacity.
So far the Navy has experimented with autonomous underwater systems in places like Scotland and some operated by IMS, where Britain fields its nuclear submarines.
Most, however, are small, off-the-shelf systems often used in mine hunting.
First C Lord Adam. Sir Ben Key said the deal was an extremely exciting moment and in a league of its own from unmanned underwater vehicles purchased by the British to date.
“This extra large autonomous underwater vehicle is a step-change in capability in our mission to dominate the underwater battlespace,” he said.
Andrew Chuter is the United Kingdom correspondent for Defense News.
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