£90 million investment for new drones and sensors to protect undersea cables and hunt Russian submarines

Official Statements

• British Government, November 10:

  • First phase of the Royal Navy’s Atlantic Bastion programme will deliver new drones, sensors and AI systems to protect undersea cables and energy networks.
  • Known as Atlantic Net, the new tech will work alongside the Royal Navy’s crewed fleet to hunt Russian submarines, protect the nuclear deterrent and critical undersea infrastructure.
  • New agreement with Hampshire-based company Ocean Infinity Solutions will support almost 200 skilled new jobs, making defence an engine for growth.

  “The UK will be more secure from Russian undersea threats in the North Atlantic following a new £90 million investment in new drones, sensors and AI systems for the Royal Navy.

  The new framework with British company Ocean Infinity Solutions, will strengthen the Royal Navy’s ability to protect crucial shipping routes and undersea infrastructure.

  The advanced system, known as Atlantic Net will see the Navy equipped with a new network of autonomous systems operating across the North Atlantic.

  These will include advanced sensors, which will help detect Russian submarines and nefarious activity and uncrewed systems, which will be able to patrol the depths of the seas, hunting down threats.

  This high-tech net will create a single surveillance service that will provide submarine-hunting warships and Astute-class submarines with earlier warning of threats and a clearer picture of activity beneath the surface.

  The framework that is due to be signed today is part of the Royal Navy’s wider Atlantic Bastion programme to create a hybrid naval force of crewed and uncrewed vessels’ - a key recommendation of the Strategic Defence Review - and was announced today at the International Sea Power Conference in Oslo, Norway.

  Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP said:

  The threats beneath the North Atlantic are changing, and we are changing with them. This investment gives the Royal Navy new technology to find threats earlier and protect our critical infrastructure, while also backing British business. It shows that we’re getting on with the job of investing in our Armed Forces and strengthening our deterrence under the sea, to support our ultimate, nuclear deterrent.

  The framework with Hampshire-based company Ocean Infinity Solutions will pave the way for £90m of investment, supporting almost 200 new skilled jobs and its immediate supply chain, building on the 38,700 jobs in South East England directly supported by MOD spend with industry, while strengthening the Royal Navy’s ability to protect the UK’s undersea infrastructure.

  Atlantic Bastion is the Royal Navy’s plan to create a hybrid naval force to hunt and track enemy submarines and protect the vast network of critical underwater infrastructure that connects and powers the UK and its allies, including communications cables and energy networks. Working alongside NATO and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies, it will strengthen protection against interference, sabotage and hostile activity, with Atlantic Net increasing the scale, persistence and resilience of underwater surveillance.

  The Royal Navy and Ocean Infinity Solutions will bring together maritime systems, underwater sensing, communications, remote operations and data services into a single capability directed by the Royal Navy.”