The UK has unveiled its “Atlantic Bastion” programme, designed to bolster the Royal Navy's submarine-hunting capabilities in the North Atlantic.
The navy remarked that the initiative is a direct response to a resurgence in Russian underwater activity, including recent operations by the spy ship Yantar and efforts to target critical undersea infrastructure.
Atlantic Bastion aims to create an advanced hybrid naval force integrating ships, submarines, and aircraft with uncrewed vessels. These assets will be connected through AI-powered acoustic detection technology and a digital targeting web, which the navy said enables faster decision-making against adversaries.
First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins stated, "A revolutionary underwater network is taking shape...More autonomous, more resilient, more lethal – and British built."
The programme has secured £14 million in combined Ministry of Defence and industry seedcorn investment this year. Proposals have been submitted by 26 firms, with 20 companies already showcasing technology demonstrators. The first capabilities are scheduled for deployment in 2026.
Defence Secretary John Healey added, "Our pioneering Atlantic Bastion programme is a blueprint for the future of the Royal Navy...to detect, deter and defeat those who threaten us."
