UK and France receive new minehunting technology
The UK RN took delivery of a remotely operated USV on 23 November. (Photo: DE&S)
While politics divide the British and French governments, both countries have made steady progress on their joint minehunting project.
The UK MoD and French defence procurement agency DGA have each accepted delivery of new minehunting systems under the binational joint Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) programme.
On 23 November, the RN officially received a demonstrator system from Thales UK, OCCAR and Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) and it will now commence rigorous trials.
The remotely operated USV, named RNMB (Royal Navy Motor Boat) Apollo, can be controlled from sea or shore, deploying a towed synthetic aperture minehunting (TSAM) sonar to detect sea mines.
The technology sits alongside other MMCM systems provided through an extra
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