The Royal Navy has accepted a new crewless minesweeping system into service. The system is designed to allow personnel to hunt and destroy naval mines remotely.
The new system, which consists of an uncrewed surface vessel and "sophisticated" payloads, was developed and manufactured in the UK by Dorset-based TKMS Atlas UK as part of a £25 million contract.
According to Jonathan Reed-Beviere, Mine Hunting Capability Programme Director for the Royal Navy, the system can replicate a ship’s signature, tricking sea mines into detonating at a safe distance.
He added that the new system restores a minesweeping capability the Royal Navy has lacked since 2005.
Commander Dan Herridge of the Royal Navy’s Mine and Threat Exploitation Group stated that the ability to remotely counter sophisticated mines is, "a crucial milestone for the Royal Navy's mine countermeasures capability."
Herridge noted that the Royal Navy will conduct training, operational evaluation, and assurance of the systems before deployment. The new crewless minesweeping system is designed to work together with other autonomous systems already in use by the navy.
