AI-powered underwater gliders to be built in the UK to protect against Russian threat
The UK will begin manufacturing AI-powered underwater gliders to protect critical underwater infrastructure.
The Government has announced that a manufacturing facility will be based in Plymouth and will begin making the miniature submarines later this year.
It's being described as the UK's first national resilience factory.
The gliders are being made by European defence company Helsing. The plans are part of its £350m private investment that stemmed from the Trinity House agreement that was made last year.
The announcement came as the Treasury and Ministry of Defence published the recommendations of their Defence and Economic Growth Taskforce.
The Taskforce, led by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) with Oliver Wyman and co-chaired by the Chancellor and Defence Secretary, is a partnership between government, industry and financial institutions.
Its 20 member organisations have collaborated with HM Treasury and the MOD to produce the recommendations and it has been working on how to deliver jobs across the UK by "unlocking the full economic potential" of Britain's defence sector.
The Plymouth facility will manufacture SG-1 Fathom autonomous underwater gliders. These AI-powered systems are designed for maritime surveillance and to help protect critical underwater infrastructure.
Hundreds of SG-1s can be deployed at scale to monitor vast underwater areas. They can patrol in a swarm or hold position on a seabed and can be in operation for up to three months.
They work in conjunction with a software platform called Lura, which allows real-time processing.
The system creates a constellation of underwater sensors, like satellites in the sky, and processes the acoustic data. It means that it can tell the difference between two ships of the same class by identifying each vessel's acoustic signature.
Hundreds will be manufactured
Ned Baker, Helsing's UK managing director, told BFBS Forces News: "It's designed to autonomously surveil and detect undersea threats.
"It allows us to create sovereign manufacturing capacity that helps bring the latest capabilities to our Armed Forces and to our allies."
Manufacture of the SG-1 is expected to begin later this year.
Mr Baker added: "We will initially be manufacturing hundreds and then quickly scaling up to thousands – and we will be looking to supply these to allied navies globally.
"We see this capability as absolutely crucial to protect the UK and its interests given the rising threat from Russia and its aggressive actions under the sea."
The recommendations of the Defence and Economic Growth Taskforce were launched at a Ministry of Defence roundtable chaired by Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Defence Secretary John Healey.
The report's key recommendation is for a "Team UK" strategy.
Defence Secretary John Healey said: "In a new era for defence, we are building a new partnership with the UK’s outstanding defence industry, with innovators and with investors.
"We will equip our Armed Forces for the future and make defence an engine for economic growth through our Defence Industrial Strategy – unlocking investment, reforming procurement, championing innovation and backing companies of all sizes.
"I welcome the Defence and Economic Growth Taskforce's report, which recognises how we can boost high-skilled jobs across the country and grow our economy while strengthening our frontline forces.”
The Government says this will ensure the UK is "globally competitive, driving innovation, jobs and prosperity across the nation, reforming procurement and contracting processes to grow the UK defence sector – in line with the Strategic Defence Review".
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