• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy sails autonomous RIB in UK waters for the first time

  2nd December 2024

  The RIB trials are expected to inform rapid future RN deployment of autonomous vessel technology.

• Naval Warfare

  Can retrofitted autonomy support cash-strapped navies?

  17th January 2025

  Autonomous vessels can reduce risk to the lives of naval personnel, but could retrofitting be a faster, cheaper option?

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy experiments ship Patrick Blackett gets into its stride

  22nd May 2023

  Having already embarked two experimental capabilities and achieved certification, the UK RN's research ship XV Patrick Blackett is expanding the horizon for the navy's efforts to test and trial new technologies.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  XV Patrick Blackett opens up broad range of experimentation possibilities, says RN

  12th August 2022

  The RN will push 'hard' to operate the optionally crewed experimental vessel XV Patrick Blackett as an autonomous platform.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy welcomes multifunctional XV Patrick Blackett

  1st August 2022

  The newest research ship for the UK Royal Navy can be adapted to specific trials or experiments including testing UAVs, autonomous vessels and AI decision-making.

• Naval Warfare

  RN explores autonomous vehicles under attack submarine replacement plans

  16th May 2022

  Work on the future SSN(R), the replacement for the Astute-class submarines, continues to progress as planned.

• Naval Warfare

  Old dog, new tricks: HMS Argyll conducts Pac24 trials

  22nd October 2021

  The RN’s oldest frigate has trialled some of the service’s latest technologies at sea.

• Naval Warfare

  RN fires Switchblade 300 from autonomous Madfox

  15th October 2021

  The RN launched Switchblade 300 from the Madfox autonomous platform for the first time.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Marines trial UAS swarms and autonomous systems

  19th July 2021

  A UAS swarm dropped underwater vehicles into the sea and delivered supplies to Royal Marine (RM) Commandos, while an autonomous surface vessel monitored the horizon during Autonomous Advance Force 4.0.

• Naval Warfare

  Madfox takes to the water

  29th March 2021

  A year of tests awaits for the latest UK Royal Navy uncrewed vessel.

• Military Logistics

  Royal Marines explore use of supply UAVs

  4th November 2020

  Experiments continue with using UAVs for battlefield logistics

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK launches unmanned Pacific 24 boat

  24th June 2020

  The UK RN has launched its first crewless boat for general duties. Trials with the new craft begin this month, followed by integration trials later …

• Training

  RN issues RfI for command and staff trainer

  7th May 2020

  The RN has issued an RfI for a Maritime Command and Staff Trainer (MCAST), with responses from industry due by 29 May 2020. Issued by …

• Naval Warfare

  UK Royal Navy presence in Gulf to get unmanned boost

  2nd April 2019

  Not two months on from announcing a programme to introduce a new class of Littoral Strike Ships for the Royal Navy, UK Defence Secretary Gavin …

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - USVs

  MADFOX

  Madfox (Maritime Demonstrator For Operational eXperimentation) is a British Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) derived from L3Harris’ Mast-13 vessel.

• Military - USVs

  Uncrewed Pacific 24 Mk IV

  The Uncrewed Pacific 24 Mk IV is a BAE Systems upgrade for the Pacific 24 Mk IV sea boat, giving the vessel uncrewed capabilities.

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300

  The Switchblade 300 is a man-portable, tube-launched loitering munition manufactured by AeroVironment. The platform is rapidly deployable by one operator from either a self-contained ground launcher ...