Royal Navy invests £150m in underwater drone fleet for minehunting and seabed defence

Britain is set to bolster its maritime defences through a £150 million acquisition of underwater drones, marking a significant upgrade for the Royal Navy as tensions with Russia remain heightened. The Ministry of Defence will initially secure up to 24 advanced underwater vehicles, with the contract value suggesting an estimated cost of up to £6 million per unit.

These unmanned drones are poised to redefine minehunting operations, replacing traditional crewed ships with advanced technology that offers greater speed and precision. With large-scale mine-laying witnessed in the Ukraine conflict—particularly in the Black Sea—the Royal Navy is focusing on deploying these cutting-edge vessels to detect and clear mines covertly in conflict zones and ensure safe passage for commercial and military vessels.

Beyond minehunting, the new fleet will also safeguard critical national infrastructure such as underwater cables and gas pipelines from potential sabotage. This strategic investment follows recent concerns about hostile activities by Russian vessels near key installations and increased Nato vigilance after incidents in the Baltic Sea, where cable and pipeline outages triggered widespread alarm.

The Royal Navy is exploring a range of technologies, trialling both small underwater gliders and larger submarine-like uncrewed vessels. Among notable developments are the “Excalibur” submarine drone from Plymouth-based MSubs and autonomous underwater gliders engineered by Anglo-German start-up Helsing. The new minehunting capability will be complemented by the HMS Stirling Castle, a mothership designed to coordinate and support uncrewed operations on and below the water.

With most of the Navy’s traditional mine-clearing ships due for retirement this decade, adoption of these innovative autonomous systems ensures Britain remains at the leading edge of maritime defence. Defence officials are actively encouraging the industry to deliver forward-thinking solutions that will see Royal Navy forces equipped to respond rapidly to evolving threats from the North Sea to wider Nato operations.

Such investments not only provide increased security amid mounting geopolitical risks, but also cement the UK’s position as a frontrunner in defence technology for the modern era.