Enshrined as part of an undersea battlespace concept known as Atlantis 2040, the RN’s plan is to augment existing crewed ASW assets with remotely-operated or autonomous systems operating on, above, or below the sea surface. As well as developing ‘core’ options to inform of the Integrated Review 2025 process, Navy Command’s Develop Directorate is also exploring whether there is scope to put some systems and sensors on a ‘fast track’ to realise an early operating capability.
Anxious to maintain an edge in ASW against a qualitatively improving submarine threat, but recognising that both time and resources preclude the acquisition of more high-end platforms, the RN sees uncrewed ‘deployables’ as part of a hybrid future ASW force functioning as a disaggregated ‘system of systems’. These could be anchored (permanent or semi-permanent), drifting (recoverable and re-useable) or propelled (deployed individually or in squads).
One activity feeding into the ASW roadmap is Project CETUS. Being managed by the Submarine Delivery Agency’s Autonomy Unit (SDA-AU), CETUS is a six-year, £23 million project encompassing the design, build and trials of the UK’s first purpose-built extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-AUV).
MSubs was awarded a design and build contract for CETUS in November 2022. The XL-AUV demonstrator – 12 m long, 2.2 m in diameter and weighing 17 tonnes – is planned to commence sea trials in late 2024. As well as providing a testbed for mission payloads, the CETUS project is also intended to build trust in long endurance autonomous operations.
Another important initiative is Project CHARYBDIS. Forming part of the ASW Spearhead initiative – a technology-focused effort intended to maximise the RN’s operational advantage in the ASW domain – CHARYBDIS is focused on the exploitation of advances in autonomy, robotics and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning to deliver uncrewed, persistent ‘deployables’ supporting wide area ASW surveillance.
A raft of small-scale system exploration contracts were awarded earlier this year for concept studies as part of CHARYBDIS Phase 1. A total of 26 suppliers have each been awarded ‘seed’ concept study contracts by the SDU-AU to explore a broad range of technologies and solutions.
Phase 1 is primarily about identifying options and gathering necessary evidence to inform potential future procurements that would prototype, prove and exploit novel autonomous system concepts at scale. The focus is on systems that could be demonstrated and operationally fielded within five years to complement existing crewed assets.
One further strand of work coming under the ASW Spearhead umbrella is the PROTEUS rotary-wing unmanned air system (RWUAS). One strand of the wider Future Maritime Aviation Force vision, PROTEUS has conceived of a 2-3 tonne class RWUAS that would contribute to ASW ‘sense’ by dispensing sonobuoys; it could potentially also serve as a weapon delivery platform.
Leonardo’s UK Helicopters business was in mid-2022 awarded a £60 million contract to design and build a PROTEUS demonstrator under phase 3 of the RWUAS Capability Concept Demonstrator effort. Flight trials of the demonstrator are planned to start in 2025.
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September 13, 2023 at 09:04PM
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Royal Navy charts a course to uncrewed ASW - Naval News
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