British defence jobs have been boosted and British sailors will
be better protected following delivery of the first end-to-end
autonomous UK mine hunting vessel, known as ‘Ariadne', which will
boost Royal Navy capabilities.
The vessel was designed and manufactured in the UK under a £184
million deal with Thales UK, which supports more than 200 jobs
across Somerset, Plymouth, Portsmouth, and Scotland. This
represents another example of the government delivering on its
Plan for Change, by supporting jobs and boosting economic growth,
whilst improving the UK's defence
capabilities.
The autonomous system, which includes the Unmanned Surface
Vessel (USV) RNMB ARIADNE, enables the Royal Navy to locate and
destroy sea mines faster and more efficiently, without putting
personnel at risk.
RNMB ARIADNE is 12 metres long, the same size as an average
bus, and can be deployed from a harbour or mother ship to hunt
the seabed for mines using the Thales TSAM system, one of the
world's most sophisticated towed sonars. It is likely to be used
both at home and overseas.
This announcement comes following the Prime Minister's commitment
to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP from 2027, with a
clear ambition to hit 3% of GDP in the next Parliament.
Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Rt Hon
MP,
said:
"This delivery marks a significant milestone in our mine-hunting
capabilities and the autonomous technology will keep Britain and
our Royal Navy sailors safer by identifying and removing
mines.
“It has also supported hundreds of skilled jobs across UK
industry – a clear demonstration that defence is an engine for
economic growth.”
The programme forms part of a joint UK-France initiative with a
total contract value of £361 million, managed by the
Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation
(OCCAR).
The delivery is part of the Defence Equipment and Support
(DE&S)-led Mine Hunting Capability Programme, which aims to
transition from conventional Mine Counter Measures Vessels to
Maritime Autonomous
Systems.
Rear Admiral ,
Director of Maritime Environment at DE&S,
said:
“This is a significant first delivery for the Royal
Navy and is a proud moment for all those
involved in bringing this transformative capability into service.
This project contributes to the growth and prosperity
of our nation
and will strengthen UK security
through enhanced maritime operations.”
Following successful trials of the prototype vessel RNMB APOLLO
in the Firth of Clyde in September 2024, Royal Navy personnel
will now undertake training with Thales' support before
conducting a thorough Operational Evaluation and beginning to
deploy UK Maritime Mine Counter Measure (MMCM) systems on active
duty.
Phil Siveter, CEO of Thales in the UK, said,
“We are incredibly proud to deliver this world-first autonomous
mine hunting system to the UK Royal Navy. With the introduction
of AI and advanced sensor technology, this innovation represents
a new era in maritime defence technology and demonstrates our
unwavering commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions that
enhance the capabilities of our defence forces. The Royal Navy
will now have a powerful tool to safeguard national interests and
maintain security at sea.”
The Royal Navy plans to gradually phase out conventional crewed
mine hunting vessels as additional autonomous systems are
delivered over the next five years or so. This transition
represents a fundamental shift in naval operations, creating
additional skilled employment opportunities in the maritime
technology sector while establishing the UK as a leader in
autonomous maritime systems.
