Submarine contract awarded to West firm
A PLYMOUTH manufacturer has been awarded a contract from the Royal Navy to build their first uncrewed submarine.
MSubs Ltd, based on Estover Trading Estate, will now provide the Royal Navy with an XLUUV (Extra Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle) intended to deliver “the largest and most complex uncrewed submersible operated by any European navy”.
The submarine’s deployment comes as part of the £15 million Project Cetus, and is due to be completed within the next two years, reports Navy Lookout.
The 17-tonne submarine will be 12 metres long and 2.2 metres in diameter, and will be able to dive deeper than any vessel currently in the submarine fleet with a range of over 1,000 miles – which it can reportedly cover in seven days. Due to its portability – it can fit inside a 40ft shipping container – it is thought the new submarine could be deployed worldwide.
It is hoped that Cetus – named after a mythological sea creature – will “protect our critical national infrastructure and monitor sub-sea activity”, according to the UK Government.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “In order to meet the growing threats to our underwater infrastructure, the Royal Navy needs to be ahead of the competition with cutting edge capabilities.
“Project Cetus, alongside bringing forward the MROS ships, will help ensure we have the right equipment to protect the security of the UK and our Allies.
“Having the skills base and specialist knowledge to develop and build this vessel in the UK, is testament to the UKs leading reputation in building surface and sub-surface ships.”
First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key said: “This is a hugely exciting moment as the Royal Navy surges ahead with the development of autonomous technology.”