The Ministry of Defence has yet to determine how many Type 93 extra-large uncrewed underwater vessels it will build for the Royal Navy, though its answer confirms the giant autonomous submarines remain within the Atlantic Bastion programme, the effort to hold the North Atlantic against Russian underwater activity.
The position was set out by Defence Minister Luke Pollard in a written answer to Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who asked how many of the vessels the department intends to build. “The Defence Investment Plan announced the development of Type 92 uncrewed underwater sensing platforms and Type 93 extra-large uncrewed underwater vessels as part of the Royal Navy’s Atlantic Bastion programme, part of the Hybrid Navy strategy. The number of platforms to be procured, and the construction schedules for those platforms, have not yet been determined. Detailed requirements will be considered as the programme progresses through its concept and assessment phases,” Pollard said, as quoted in the answer.
While the absence of numbers matches the pattern across this week’s answers on Hybrid Navy platforms, the framing carries a detail worth noting, placing both the Type 92 sensing platforms and the Type 93 within Atlantic Bastion specifically, the programme conceived to build a layered web of sensors, uncrewed systems and crewed anti-submarine forces across the North Atlantic approaches through which Russian submarines must pass.
The Royal Navy has been building towards an extra-large uncrewed capability for several years through Project Cetus, the demonstrator ordered from Plymouth-based MSubs, a twelve-metre autonomous submarine intended to prove how such vessels can operate alongside the fleet, carry payloads and extend a commander’s reach.
I’m still excited about the capabilities of type 92 and type 93 and their ability to potentially reduce the burden on ASW frigates and SSN’s. Especially sanitising the waters around the SSBN’s and the Iceland, Greenland gap.
Agreed the maritime environment with it’s vast areas and long patrol times seem particularly suited to drones both in and under the sea as well as above in the air
No such capability possible with the resources available. The capability to control the large geographic area and the permanence necessary for that to work do not exists
All this is still very much open to Debate..
Many years of Trial work is being Condensed into a Remarkably short period .. The pitfalls are being ignored in the Name of speed into service and cost… should worry us All..!
How on earth you know any pitfalls are being ignored?
How do you know there Not…
This is rhe MOD Were talking About.. Rather Naive if you think this will be fault free…
Its also naive to think a bunch of random blokes on here know better. MOD are recruiting. Everyone seems to have the answers. Get applying.
My wisdom maybe an advantage but i suspect my age will count Against me…
😆👍
It . Looks like these vedsssals will be very slow indeed so an effive way to get them where they are need, perhaps by forward basing around the globe will have to be perfected.
I hope that well show ambition and have loads of them all over the planet sitting on the bottom outside the bad guys if better still I side the bad guys Barbour waiting for the signal to do mischief guarding the undersea infrastructure that have become so vital to us.
I’m interested to know how they will be counted in the fleet inventory if the concept is made to work, then the ambition of a 2r from line fleet may become far larger. Hopefully into the 30’s.
Can someone please define “Extra Large” and “Giant” please…… My wife and I always seem to be of differing opinions 😇
But seriously, “Giant” ? as in as big as a V Boat ? or Giant In comparison to a WW11 Midget Submarine ?
XV Excalibur is XLUUV, and that fits in a 40′ shipping crate. BAE’s Herne also described as XL is the same length. Giant is anyone’s guess.
Perhaps you both need glasses.. to give you a better Perspective…
Large – 6 inches. Giant -7 inches
That’s stretching it a bit….
Oh…. You’re Japanese then !!! 😁😁😁
Speaking of capabilities z we’re talking about the MOD.which is a world leader in fucking up everything it touches. We should give it to rolls Royce to do at least it will run.. xx👍👌
Given the size of Excalibur, I’d expect that. Jtl be a case of how. Many pet. Month can be made. With a decent supply chain and the design and integration of an offensive ability. The strategic possibility this vessel can be used for is almost limitless recon ying guarding, assassinations of enemy assets insertion of special forces(Far bigger than Excalibur). Id hope that all the drones are named a d given a suitable pennant number maybe a new prefix X (experimental or evolution) perhaps
Is the Type 92 a sub surface vessel now? Originally it was described as an ASW focused Sloop
This is a T93. T92 is the ASW vessel.
Yeah, I get that but was confused by the wording: “ Type 92 uncrewed underwater sensing platforms and Type 93 extra-large uncrewed underwater vessel”
Both T92 and T93 described as “uncrewed underwater”
T92 is described in the article as an underwater vessel, hence my question.
Gotcha.
It’ll be smaller than the the other classes and I hope faster to churn out. Maybe the next stage in building will be akin to car production with moving assembly lines drones built by robots had a kind of irony to it.
Simply to Control these Vessels to the Degree Required in open Ocean will be a tough ask…Never mind all the Technology Military bits inside…!
Hardened bunkers to operate a fleet from I suppose will be built somewhere within a current Facility in Pompey Devon pot or Northwood. Maybe ‘nodes’ all over the place. Rather than in a centralised targetable location. Lots to think about, lots to do the whole thing is so immense and I do fear that the MOD will, as usual, fuck it up in grand style.
And what spotty oikbwill be holding on to the joystick 🕹️ and and keyboard ⌨️ to all this monolith. Of a project..
So I went to KFC and ordered an extra large (mighty bucket for One that’s 6 pieces of chicken) and they gave me the The “Giant” Equivalent: The 14-Piece Bargain Bucket instead, hope that helps explain the difference between “Extra Large” and “Giant”
It’ll be smaller than the the other classes and I hope faster to churn out. Maybe the next stage in building will be akin to car production with moving assembly lines drones built by robots had a kind of irony to it.
There is a number – it’s called the Type 93
And what spotty oikbwill be holding on to the joystick 🕹️ and and keyboard ⌨️ to all this monolith. Of a project..
Speaking of capabilities z we’re talking about the MOD.which is a world leader in fucking up everything it touches. We should give it to rolls Royce to do at least it will run.. xx👍👌
Hardened bunkers to operate a fleet from I suppose will be built somewhere within a current Facility in Pompey Devon pot or Northwood. Maybe ‘nodes’ all over the place. Rather than in a centralised targetable location. Lots to think about, lots to do the whole thing is so immense and I do fear that the MOD will, as usual, fuck it up in grand style.