AUTONOMOUS VESSELS AND AI TO DEFEND UK – Britain unveils programme to protect ‘critical’ undersea cables
Britain announced it plans to integrate autonomous vessels and artificial intelligence with warships and aircraft to enhance its naval defence and submarine-hunting capabilities, aiming to protect undersea cables and pipelines from potential Russian threats.
The announcement comes four days after Defence Secretary John Healey and his Norwegian counterpart, Tore O. Sandvik, visited the Maritime Capability Coalition in Portsmouth to advance efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s naval operations.
The Ministry of Defence stated that “millions of pounds” had been invested this year in developing and testing anti-submarine sensor technology under Atlantic Bastion, the Royal Navy’s initiative to secure the North Atlantic for Britain and NATO allies.
Atlantic Bastion will see ships, submarines, aircraft and unmanned vessels connected through AI-powered acoustic detection technology and integrated into a digital targeting web.
During their Portsmouth visit, Healey and Sandvik observed demonstrations of unmanned boats and underwater drones alongside British and Norwegian servicemen.
The jointly led Maritime Capability Coalition provides training, equipment and infrastructure to help Ukraine defend its coastline and operate effectively at sea.
Healey said Russia’s spy ship activities in British waters highlight the need for advanced technology to track and respond to potential threats to critical infrastructure.
The network of weapons systems would allow battlefield decisions for targeting enemy threats to be made and executed faster.
