Mothership for autonomous minehunters arrives in the UK
MV Island Crown will undergo minor modifications before entering service hosting autonomous minehunting capabilities. (Photo: UK MoD/ Crown Copyright)
A new commercial vessel conversion will support operation of the UK's autonomous minehunting capabilities.
A commercial vessel that will be converted for military use and serve as a mothership for autonomous minehunting capabilities has arrived in the UK.
The MV Island Crown will undergo modifications before entering service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) later this spring.
The ship is the second commercial platform to be procured by the UK MoD recently following the arrival of the first Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) ship in January.
Island Crown was purchased by Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) for £40 million ($49 million) and will only require minimal work to be ready for military use. This will focus
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes]()
US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes
The US Navy (USN) is currently reassessing its acquisition efforts and seeking ways to reduce the multiple delays across the shipbuilding initiatives.
-
![Australia commissions HMAS Arafura three-and-a-half years behind schedule]()
Australia commissions HMAS Arafura three-and-a-half years behind schedule
The Royal Australian Navy has finally commissioned the first Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel – more than three years behind schedule – highlighting the programme’s delays, design compromises and ongoing industrial restructuring.
-
![Italy orders two ships as work begins on others along with deliveries and updates]()
Italy orders two ships as work begins on others along with deliveries and updates
The Italian Navy is being refreshed with two new ships ordered, while in the past six months steel was cut for a new frigate, an enhanced frigate was delivered and Horizon-class frigates passed a design review.
