British maritime technology company SubSea Craft (SSC) has announced Penny Mordaunt, former Secretary of State for Defence, as its new Chair of the Board.
The announcement marks a significant leadership transition as SSC continues its international expansion and advances its flagship projects, including the VICTA submersible craft and MARS unmanned surface vehicle.
Mordaunt, a Royal Navy Reserve veteran and MP for Portsmouth North since 2010, brings a wealth of experience to SSC. Known for championing UK maritime innovation, she previously led efforts to reinvigorate Portsmouth dockyard and established a Maritime Task Force.
On her new role, Mordaunt said, “In the battle for technical superiority we need nimble and brilliant companies. The potential is clear, and I am delighted to be SubSea Craft’s latest team member. I look forward to assisting SubSea Craft into a truly international asset, resourcing both our own domestic needs and those of our allies.”
SubSea Craft’s technologies include the VICTA, a high-speed craft capable of transitioning from surface to sub-surface in under two minutes, and MARS, an unmanned surface vehicle developed in collaboration with AUKUS partners.
SSC CEO Camilla Martin highlighted the strategic importance of Mordaunt’s appointment: “Her international experience and reputation will help ensure our naval engineering platforms can be scaled to meet the needs of the UK and its allies across the globe.”
SSC recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Skaramangas Shipyards in Greece to enhance its European presence, further strengthening ties with NATO allies. These developments position SSC as a key player in advanced naval technology, with an eye on expanding capabilities to support special forces and allied navies worldwide.
Penny Mordaunt lost her Portsmouth North seat at the last election. Her spell as SoS Defence was short, but she was well thought of. I’m sure many who post here would wish Penny good fortune in her new role
I’m sure PM made many contacts both home and abroad that might prove most useful in her new role. Obviously has a great commitment to the RN. Also wish her well.
Including me.
I thought an excellent choice for PM, but the Tory MPs knew better.
I cannot see her departing in the middle of the D D commemorations somehow?
I’m unconvinced the Tory MPs had a clue what they were doing. Too busy with internal politics to be bothered to do anything with their substantial majority.
DM, out of interest have you heard of ‘The Ambassador For Peace Medal’? I tripped over this a few days ago. New commemorative Medal issued by South Korea for all vets (or dependants) who served in the Korean war 51-53. Obviously details of service record required. I’m in the process of applying for one for my father and wondered how many people might miss out due to the fact it’s not been very well publicicised. I did run this by UKDJ yesterday in the hope they might run a little piece on it.
I have never heard of it.
You’re right, it needs publicising as much as possible.
Please could you let me have the details of the route for application for this medal? My Father-in-Law was in Korea. Thank you
David it’s always a pain attaching links here. But you can Google The Ambassador For Peace Medal to get more info and see images, but you need the right website to get the UK application form so Google again – Overseas mofa go kr (with dots in-between spaces. You should find it from there. Regards
David it’s always a pain attaching links here. But you can Google The Ambassador For Peace Medal to get more info and see images, but you need the right website to get the UK application form so Google again – Overseas mofa go kr (with dots in-between spaces. You should find it from there. Regards
PS I’ve also asked the RBL to push this out through it’s branches.
Both parties have been profoundly bad at picking leaders over the last 2025 years…started with Cameroon who was way to inexperienced to ever be Priminister, Boris who was simply without a moral rudder, Ed Miliband who had been an MP for 5 years before becoming leader…then mr Corbin who was an avowed communist, the issue is they are are picking fast track spad to MP politicos not elder statesmen’s with the wisdom of many many decades…even Starmer was only elected as an MP in 2015 Ana was leader of the the party by 2020.
Definitely no cronyism going on here.
She might have lost her seat, but i wonder what she gave them when she was in goverment to get that role. Nothing in life is free.
Career policticns with 85 days as def sec and most of her time as a backbencher. Not sure what experience or contacts she will bring.
She’s handy with a sword!
This is perhaps a misleading career summary for PM. As a back bencher she sat on various applicable committees like the defence and foreign arms sales committees. Then was made a minister (i.e not a back bencher) from 2015, including periods as minister for the Armed Forces, Minister for International Development. Then latter, after her brief post as SoS for defence was Minister for Trade Policy.
I’m sure the current board and CEO have made the decision for the correct reasons.
These sound fun; a submersible speedboat for inserting special forces, etc.
By eye it looks like they’d fit in a T26.
Would there be a role for an unmanned vessel that can transit over long ranges on the surface and then submerge for a close reconnaissance, using an ISR mast Herne style?
Considering that Seababies have managed to penetrate Russian port facilities you have to think a flexible stealthy platform of this type must have potential surely and not only for recon but potentially to deliver a punch too via torpedo, missile or even mines.
Loved it when the Sea Baby surface drones launched missiles at russian positions near the Kinburn Spit was shown online
The Sea Baby drones are now equipped with Grad MLRS systems.
Watching the Ukrainians develope various weapons is brilliant
Just need someone willing to make changes and evolve the Army and RN
Certainly, the main advantage of this type of hull is the very high speed and range of transit over a conventional submarine.
That means you can get it where it needs to be quickly, so minelaying might turn out to be a major selling point.
Conventional weaponry not so much, because it doesn’t have much advantage over a pure submarine or surface ship (though using it for attacking ports in the manner of X-subs might be good, equipped with torpedoes or limpet mines).
I will hold my excitement until we have a flying sub 🙃
Didn’t the Russians already do that?
In the 1930s?
It was this company and its products that I was trying to think of a while back when we were discussing sea drones for UK and Ukraine when I speculated on a platform that could work on the surface and somewhat below it too to help operate in contested waters and get close enough to strike with a missile or torpedo.
On another note I always thought the VICTA was very James Bond, but wow now that we know the company is linking with Scaramanga I am convinced of it. Blofeld Enterprises next on the cards I reckon and I fully expect to see a subsurface vehicle with opening jaws that can swallow enemy submarines in the forseeable future. Have they still got that crater stage at Elstree?
Perhaps we should partner with Ukraine on these sort of craft…. They seem to develop,test and improve…
They know what works and what doesn’t very quickly..
I don’t think they develope by committee
I think the test models are likely sent via the Zelenski test accelerated centre…..
Should former minsters be allowed to take jobs in industries which overlap with their former brief? Genuine question, I see pros and cons for both
Or senior officers.
Even ex Cs of the SIS.
They have the experience, and the contacts!
They can’t within a year, which is why a lot of ministers moved roles or resigned ahead of the election to start the clock running.