The Royal Navy has not set targets for the number of uncrewed surface or underwater vessels it may deploy in the Arctic or North Atlantic, according to a ministerial answer to a parliamentary question.
Responding to a written question from Lord Stirrup, Defence Minister Lord Coaker said the service is focusing on broader capability development rather than fixed platform counts, as it reshapes its approach to operations in the High North and across the Atlantic.
He told peers that the Royal Navy will enhance warfighting readiness over the next four years through the programmes known as Atlantic Bastion, Atlantic Shield and Atlantic Strike. “The Atlantic Bastion capability options submitted for consideration in the Defence Industrial Plan include a blend of uncrewed systems, underwater payloads, options to increase lethality, and improvements to crewed platforms,” he said.
Uncrewed systems are being considered as part of a wider move toward a so-called Hybrid Navy, combining crewed ships with autonomous and remotely operated platforms, rather than as a discrete fleet with defined numbers attached. The Ministry of Defence did not indicate how many uncrewed surface vessels or underwater systems might eventually be procured or deployed.
Lord Coaker also addressed suggestions of an “Arctic Sentry” mission, stressing that it remains conceptual. “Arctic Sentry remains a concept, rather than an agreed activity,” he said, adding that discussions are ongoing among allies on how NATO should strengthen security in the High North in response to growing Russian activity. Decisions on specific platforms, quantities and timelines appear likely to depend on the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.
When there Is no news to report, It’s good to see It being reported…. ffwd to 2035 !
Why do they need to broadcast exact numbers and locations anyway? FGS show a bit of smarts. Hope these surface and sub drones have enough zip and or stealth to get away from some adversaries trawler nets or even a stray cargo ships crane…LOL.
Be interesting to see how much all this ends up costing compared to a price of a crewed frigate.
My prediction is that the unit costs will be little different to a basic frigate and that a few of them will tie up a real frigate playing mother fixing them.
IRL there will be most of a crew controlling them from the mother ship.
So I don’t actually believe that the first generation will have any tangible benefit at all.
However, it will be used as an excuse to fail to increase the manned surface combatants.
My take is that the drones that are coming available for aerial use are starting to get increasingly useful but that the sea drones are a decade or so behind that except for niche cases.
nothing to see here, again
Two? …or am I getting carried away.