The British Navy has acquired sea drones to protect against Russian submarines threatening the country's critical infrastructure.
The Royal Navy has acquired maritime drones to help protect against Russian submarines threatening critical national infrastructure. For the first time, the navy will use an autonomous mine-clearing system to combat the rapidly evolving threat of sea mines.
The Telegraph reports this.
Combating the mine threat
Three sets of autonomous mine-clearing systems called “Sweep” will safely clear sea lanes of advanced mine threats. The decision comes after NATO military leaders warned earlier this year of a growing threat of global internet blackouts as Russia is suspected of attacking undersea fibre-optic cables.
At the same time, naval sources said they were seeing activity from Russian ships passing through British waters “every few weeks”. On Wednesday, for example, a second Russian naval vessel in a week was tracked passing through the English Channel. North Sea and English Channel.
Advanced technology and safety
The Navy's new Sweep system uses technology that can neutralize sophisticated, digital naval mines that can detect and destroy nearby ships and submarines. The system uses surface-based naval drones and sophisticated equipment to rapidly detonate mines, all controlled remotely by operators at command centers at sea or even on land. This allows personnel to use the new system to remove sea mines more efficiently and safely.
The system also has a “sense and avoid” capability that works in conjunction with other similar autonomous systems, such as the Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) system and the SeaCat unmanned underwater vehicle. They help maintain freedom of maneuver for naval ships and make international waters safer.
The UK’s Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle, said: “This is the first time the Royal Navy has had access to an autonomous mine-clearing capability.” It is part of a vision for strategic defence that calls for a hybrid fleet to patrol the North Atlantic and beyond. The new systems can safely clear sea lanes of mines, keeping both the nation and its defenders safe.
Jonathan Reed-Bevier, director of the Navy's mine countermeasures program, called the new system truly transformational.
“A portable, flexible system is vital to protecting ships from modern mine threats. Remotely operated from land or sea, it will keep our sailors safe and restore the mine clearance capability that has been missing from the Royal Navy since 2005,” he said.
It is known that the Sweep system was developed and is manufactured by the British company TKMS Atlas. The manufacturer has already received a contract for 25 million pounds sterling, which will provide work for at least 55 highly skilled workers.
Let us recall that for the first time in more than a quarter of a century, Britain is resuming nuclear aviation. We are talking about purchasing certified F-35As, which are the airborne component of nuclear deterrence.
