The first fixed-wing UAV lands on a Royal Navy aircraft carrier
In a pioneering flight on 4th September, a cargo drone flew from Cornwall out to HMS Prince of Wales, delivered supplies, took off again and returned to the airfield.
Uncrewed Systems
Ukraine war sees uncrewed surface vessels mature into a serious threat
In this initial analysis written in response to unfolding events, we explore some of the potential implications of Ukrainian success in using USVs to attack the Russians in the Black Sea.
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Up close with RFA Stirling Castle – first of the navy’s new motherships
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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Countering the threat from autonomous underwater vehicles
In this guest article, Kamil Sadowski considers how navies may employ surface platforms to counter the evolving threat from UUVs.
Royal Navy autonomous mine hunting at the sharp end
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.
Why has the Royal Navy decommissioned 6 ships in a year?
In the last 12 months, a significant number of Royal Navy vessels have been retired. Funding shortfalls play a part but the situation is more complex than just cuts to save money. Here we look at the reasoning, the risks involved and the plans to replace the capabilities of these ships.
Peregrine rotary wing UAV to enter service with the Royal Navy
Under the Future Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FUTAS) programme, the RN has selected the Schiebel S-100 Camcopter which will operate in the intelligence-gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance role, initially from warships based in the Persian Gulf. More
Royal Navy purchases its first uncrewed submarine
MSubs Ltd has been awarded a £15.4m contract to build the first XLUUV (Extra Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle) owned by the Royal Navy.More
Considering the implications of the attack on the Russian fleet in Sevastopol
On 29th October an attack was mounted on Russian Black Sea Fleet units using uncrewed boats and aircraft. Here we examine what is known about the events, the implications for the war in Ukraine and more widely for other navies.
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