Thales UK and BAE Systems have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding that formalises a longstanding partnership to deliver and integrate sonar technology for RN submarines. The agreement will play a fundamental role in enabling the SSN-AUKUS programme and ensuring sovereign sonar development capability is maintained into the future. The deal designates Thales as the| Navy Lookout - Independent Royal Navy news and analysis
Already one of the finest heavyweight torpedoes in the world, the programme to further enhance the accuracy and lethality of Spearfish is now complete. After extensive development and trials, the weapon has now been declared operational by the RN. The Spearfish upgrade project began in 2010 to ensure the primary conventional weapon of the submarine| Navy Lookout - Independent Royal Navy news and analysis
In this guest article, David O’Sullivan considers the challenges of the RN's project CABOT that aims to create an anti-submarine barrier in the North Atlantic based predominantly on autonomous platforms. Project CABOT builds on the RN's previous study outputs under Project CHARYBDIS and the UK-led NATO ASW Barrier Smart Defence initiative. Designed to boost maritime| Navy Lookout - Independent Royal Navy news and analysis
The RN is unlikely to see an increase in its major anti-submarine platforms in the near future. Recognising the danger posed by the continually evolving underwater threat, it has launched ASW Spearhead, an initiative to maximise the effectiveness of the assets its already has. There will be some new hardware, in the form of new| Navy Lookout - Independent Royal Navy news and analysis
In this guest article, Kamil Sadowski considers how navies may employ surface platforms to counter the evolving threat from UUVs. There are many Autonomous/Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) programs either in development or available today for both military and non-military applications. At present the majority of operational naval UUVs are employed in mine warfare or hydrographic| Navy Lookout - Independent Royal Navy news and analysis
Undersea data cables are critical to the internet upon which the modern world has come to depend. This hidden network forms the backbone of global communications but is surprisingly vulnerable to interference by hostile actors. Protecting this infrastructure may become an increasingly important remit for the Royal Navy. Background The first undersea cables were telegraph| Navy Lookout - Independent Royal Navy news and analysis
