In February, the Royal Navy received its first serial production Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) system—an advanced suite of technologies designed to locate, classify and neutralise naval mines, operated either autonomously or via remote control.
Until recently, the RN maintained a meaningful force of at least 6 ships based in Bahrain. For a variety of reasons, this force may soon just comprise of two ships.
The RN’s sole remaining Sandown-class minehunter HMS Bangor is being repaired after she was struck by HMS Chiddingfold while alongside in January. More
After a decade of service, the RN Maritime Autonomous Systems Trials Team (MASTT) was formally disbanded last week. The equipment tested by MASTT is transitioning to operational capability and the trials team will be absorbed into the Mine & Threat Exploitation Group.
It has emerged that the RN plans to acquire up to three ‘survivable, non-complex warships’ designed from the outset to be motherships for autonomous mine-hunting boats.
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Here we consider the implications of the unfortunate collision of two Royal Navy ships in Bahrain, seen in the wider context of peacetime naval accidents.
In this article, we examine the layout, equipment and initial trials programme for RFA Stirling Castle, the first of the vessels recently purchased by the RN for use as a mothership.
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The RN currently has no stock of sea mines or dedicated minelaying platforms. Here we look at whether regenerating this capability would be worthwhile and the options available.
As the RN begins the transition from crewed minehunters to autonomous systems, the first boat has been deployed to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. This is a small but significant step and much rests upon the success of this vessel in the operational environment.