Royal Navy launches autonomous minesweeper

​A system that can safely clear the sea of mines has been handed over to the Royal Navy following successful trials.

The autonomous system was designed by Atlas Elektronik UK under a £13m Ministry of Defence contract, and has the ability to defeat digital sea mines, which can detect and target military ships passing overhead.

The sweeper system features a ‘sense and avoid’ capability, and could work with other similar autonomous systems to make waterways safer. It is designed to be deployed remotely from a land- or ship-based control system.

Over the past four months, the system has been tested against a variety of performance requirements, including how well it cleared mines and whether it could successfully avoid obstacles.

“This autonomous minesweeper takes us a step closer to taking our crews out of danger and allowing us to safely clear sea lanes of explosives, whether that’s supporting trade in global waters and around the British coastline, or protecting our ships and shores,” said defence minister Guto Bebb. “Easily transported by road, sea and air, the high-tech design means a small team could put the system to use within hours of it arriving in theatre. We are investing millions in innovative technology now, to support our military of the future.”