UK Defense Market – Autonomous Underwater Sensors

The UK Ministry of Defense (MOD) has an enduring requirement for an increased presence within the underwater battlespace and is looking to address its lack of current options by creating a fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles that would increase the Royal Navy’s operational capability and reduce the risk to human life. 

The Royal Navy is seeking to develop a range of fully autonomous systems for surveillance and reconnaissance; for underwater data gathering; for discrete payload delivery and for recovery of remote automated sensors.  The goal of the Royal Navy is to increase its options in the underwater battlespace and shift the dull, dirty and dangerous tasks from crewed platforms to Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles.

To help inform the Royal Navy of its range of options for autonomous systems, the Royal Navy is seeking for industry to develop and provide innovative autonomous underwater sensors for the Royal Navy to evaluate on an Extra-Large, Uncrewed, Underwater Vehicle.  This evaluation process will allow the Royal Navy to understand the potential capabilities that autonomous vehicles can provide in the underwater battlespace.  The trial is also intended for the Royal Navy to understand the potential offered by autonomous systems and the limitations imposed by autonomous systems to help the Royal Navy shape its future requirements and to design its future capabilities and concepts of operation.

The Royal Navy is particularly interested in developing an autonomous underwater fleet of sensors that provide electro-optical solutions, electronic warfare solutions, communications electronic support measures, and acoustic or non-acoustic surveillance solutions.

For more information on the MOD and opportunities in the UK defense market, please contact PJ Menner in Embassy London at pj.menner@trade.gov.