According to a contract notice, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) has purchased three VideoRay Defender Remotely Operated Vehicles.

The value of the contract is listed as £1,146,927.25.

What is the ‘Defender’?

The system is a remotely operated underwater vehicle, essentially a tethered underwater device.

According to the builder’s website:

“The Mission Specialist Defender configuration is designed for more precise control of the vehicle position and orientation, heavier payloads, and demanding intervention, such as rendering unexploded ordnance safe or cleaning nets for offshore fish farms. With seven thrusters, the Defender is able to move in any direction, and maintain active pitch to face the vehicle in an upward or downward orientation. The addition of third party control and navigation software from Greensea Systems or Seebyte makes the Defender a popular configuration for dangerous or heavy-duty missions.”

Mission Specialist Defender – VideoRay

Additionally:

“The VideoRay Defender utilises a system of interchangeable, modular components that communicate through a single, intelligent network. The highly flexible and customisable platform of the VideoRay Mission Specialist Defender can be easily adapted to target specific missions.”

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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17 COMMENTS

  2. Could we deploy it to operate along our sea cables, explosive device attached, for when foreign powers think it’s a good idea to cut said cables?

    And would the Baltic States be interested given their legacy off-shore munitions problems?

    • The cables are hundreds of miles long, it would be impossible to defend them. Also as the internet is so interconnected, cutting them would likely harm the nation cutting them, as much as it harms us.

      • The point is several simultaneous cuts to route traffic through peering points that you control.

        Ok this can be done by DNS/routing table attacks too.

        • The way the underwater cables are structured means that it would still have a global impact, just too much traffic to be able to control it, and not enough cables. The only cables that would be worthwhile cutting would be dedicated miltiary ones, like ones connecting offshore radar stations etc. Terrorists would be more interested in it, as they don’t mind sending the world into the dark ages, but currently they don’t have the capability

      • I know. I think what I meant to say was. A new sossus line following the cable routes. Tracking Russian subs particularly their newer subs are becoming more and more difficult. Sorry for any confusion.

  4. Can we deploy them to keep an eye out for migrants!

    The Royal Navy is set to take charge of operations looking to limit migrant crossings in the English Channel within weeks, the BBC has been told.

    This move could free up the Home Office to focus on reforms to the asylum system, a government source said.

    However, Defence Select Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood criticised the plans as “rushed” by the government and a “massive distraction” for the navy.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60021252

  6. Another piece of high-tech American kit coming to the UK, which just goes to highlight the current lack of engineering expertise in British industry.

    • Ridiculous generalisation.

      Presumably you think the Americans are incapable of coming up with chip architectures because most of their mobile devices use a British design 🤦🏻‍♂️

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