The UK Royal Navy will enhance its mine countermeasures (MCM) capabilities with the installation of new equipment on the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Bay-class auxiliary dock landing ship (LSD(A)) RFA Lyme Bay.
The high-tech equipment will be able to detect, identify and neutralise threats and is part of what the Royal Navy said is its transition to a "hybrid navy."
After being fitted with the technology, Lyme Bay will be able to store, prepare, deploy and recover a variety of autonomous and crewless MCM technology, from underwater drones to minehunting boats, in effect acting as a crewed mothership.
The RFA ship will be fitted in Gibraltar to be ready to be the Royal Navy’s mothership for an array of hi-tech MCM kit.
The navy said that, with a plug-and-play command and control system, the technology can be deployed where needed, and the RFA ship makes an ideal base for future MCM operations.
"The RFA is a crucial support arm of the Royal Navy and being able to act as an MCM mothership once again shows how we can adapt to the operational demand where needed," Captain Mark Colley, commanding officer of Lyme Bay, remarked.
