Robots join the Royal Navy to rid sea of mines in £184m deal

ROBOTS will replace Royal Navy sailors in detecting and destroying mines, the Ministry of Defence announced yesterday.

Under the joint initiative with France, unmanned vessels will be controlled from a nearby ‘mothership’ or from the shore.

The goal is to protect the sea lanes and ‘our brave personnel from these deadly devices’, said Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.

The project will replace conventional crewed mine hunting ships, he added.

The new autonomous vessels will use sonar to find a mine. A remotely operated underwater vehicle will then be deployed to blow it up. At the moment, divers have to attach charges to mines.

Sailors will still be needed on the ‘mothership’ or to launch the vessel from the shore, and also to plan the mission.

The Navy plans to have three vessels in service by 2022 but is looking to buy more.

The £184million UK investment will support 215 skilled British jobs.