TKMS Atlas UK has delivered three new SWEEP autonomous minesweeping systems to the Royal Navy.
The uncrewed systems were handed over in a ceremony in Portland Harbour, Dorset, at the end of last month.
Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP, commented: “This is the first time that the Royal Navy has autonomous minesweeping capability available, delivering on the Strategic Defence Review’s vision for a more hybrid Navy to patrol the North Atlantic and beyond.
“The new systems can safely clear sea lanes to defeat mines, helping to keep Britain and our sailors safer.”
And Managing Director of TKMS Atlas UK Antoni Mazur added: “It’s an incredibly proud moment to see these cutting-edge minesweeping systems enter service with the Royal Navy.
“We have worked with the MoD for decades to develop our minesweeping expertise and deliver this capability as a true U.K. innovation, supporting highly skilled local jobs and the manufacturing base. We look forward to continuing to work with the RN and MHC team for the success of the transition to an autonomous MCM capability for the UK.”
SWEEP will work in unison with the RN’s other existing uncrewed mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels, which include the Thales Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) system and SeaCat uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs).
The SWEEP system was designed and built in the U.K. under a £25m contract by Dorset-based TKMS Atlas U.K; the recently rebranded firm was formerly known as Atlas Elektronik UK.
SWEEP comprises an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) and its associated payloads. The USV is controlled remotely on the surface to hunt and detonate mines while keeping personnel out of danger.
Jonathan Reed-Beviere, Mine Hunting Capability Programme Director for the Royal Navy, said: “The Royal Navy receiving its first fully autonomous minesweeping system is truly transformational. The uncrewed system can replicate a ship’s signature, tricking sea mines into detonating safely.”
Commander Dan Herridge, Commanding Officer of the Royal Navy’s Mine & Threat Exploitation Group, added: “The return of the ability to remotely counter sophisticated mines that are more difficult to detect by sonar is a crucial milestone for the Royal Navy’s Mine Countermeasures capability.”
He added: “To be able to do this remotely without putting people in harm’s way is a key tenet of the Mine Hunting Capability Programme.
“The acceptance of SWEEP is an exciting milestone ahead of the Royal Navy conducting training, operational evaluation, and assurance of the systems prior to deployment.”
- You can read more details on the Royal Navy website, and the DE&S website