British Royal Navy Purchases First 12-meter Reconnaissance Autonomous Submarine

The British Royal Navy expanded its arsenal of warfare equipment as it announced on Thursday, Dec. 1, that it had ordered its first autonomous submarine.

As one of the biggest naval forces in the world, the British Navy is known for its deep-diving submarines, adaptable amphibious vehicles, and more. The service's first crewless submarine is a historic addition to the Navy's equipment.

Britain's First Crewless Submarine

As reported by BulgarianMilitary.com, Britain invested £15.4 million to acquire the advanced military equipment called Cetus, a nod to the mythological sea monster from Greek literature. In two years, this submarine, built for stealth and reconnaissance missions, will be officially added to the British Navy fleet.

The British Royal Navy first confirmed the multi-million military procurement. Admiral Sir Ben Key, First Sea Lord, described the purchase decision as "an extremely exciting moment in the history of the British Navy."

This submarine is not like any other; it is 12 meters long, making it the largest and most complex crewless submersible operated by any European armed forces. Cetus is designed and built especially for the Royal Navy by Plymouth-based tech firm MSubs, creating ten specialist jobs and supporting 70 more.

Contrary to what one might assume from other armaments corporations, the company is small, yet highly skilled engineers and specialists established it. According to Brett Phaneuf, Chief Executive of MSubs, the British government's demonstrated trust will inspire them not only now but also in the future, assisting in deploying more uncrewed submarines in the Royal Navy.

Cetus will provide the British Navy with new capabilities. The submarine will descend to a depth of 1,000 miles, beyond the capabilities of existing human-crewed submarines. Cetus' primary mission will be intelligence collection and target practice for air defense.

Cetus will run on batteries, so its effective range can be increased by installing additional batteries. Its size makes it portable, allowing it to be used anyplace in the world where the Royal British Navy operates. The department acknowledged that the submarine would have autonomous capabilities and collaborate with the British Astute class of hunter-killer submarines.

Cetus Is Britain's Most Mobile Submarine

Cetus is the latest in a series of breakthrough submarine technologies being developed to deal with the threats of the next decade, thanks to funding from the Royal Navy's Anti-Submarine Warfare Spearhead initiative.

The 17-tonne submarine, which is 12 meters long and 2.2 meters in diameter, can fit inside a cargo container and be transported worldwide to anywhere the British fleet requires it.

According to a state report, the Royal Navy has been experimenting with autonomous systems for more than ten years, and the crewless submarine is the most recent example. Driverless Pacific 24 sea boats are being tested, and crewless minehunting devices are already in Scotland. Ships employ a variety of airborne drones for surveillance and intelligence gathering.