The Royal Navy has today unveiled its first uncrewed submarine – paving the way for how the UK could operate in the underwater battlespace.
The 12m experimental vessel, displacing 19 tonnes and at two metres across, is the culmination of the three-year long Project Cetus, and the largest uncrewed underwater vessel trialled by the navy to date.
It was formally unveiled and named Excalibur at HMNB Devonport in front of 200 esteemed guests and VIPs including Rear Admiral James Parkin, Navy Director Develop, representatives from AUKUS nations, trainees from across the navy and Cadets.
Over the next two years, Excalibur will carry out extensive sea trials, helping to accelerate the Royal Navy’s use of advanced technologies.
It will help develop a better understanding of the unique challenges that come with operating uncrewed vessels of this size – with the aim of future vessels working alongside crewed platforms.
The trials and testing will contribute significantly to the Royal Navy’s constant efforts to remain ahead of potential foes beneath the waves, safeguarding key infrastructure, protecting British and allied ships and submarines and gathering intelligence.
The crewless craft was built by Plymouth-based MSubs, who specialise in automated submersibles.
Commodore Marcus Rose, deputy director Underwater Battlespace Capability, said: “The naming of Excalibur is a significant milestone for the Royal Navy and the upcoming sea trials will allow us to rapidly develop our understanding of operating uncrewed vessels of this size underwater.
“The lessons learnt from this exciting programme will build on our experience from existing programmes, such as the Mine Hunting Capability programme, to inform more extensive use of these technologies in a mixed force of crewed and uncrewed systems.
“Successful delivery of this programme is testament to what can be achieved in collaboration with our industrial partners.”
Officially classified as an Extra-Large Uncrewed Underwater Vessel or XLUUV, Excalibur will join the recently created Fleet Experimentation Squadron. Sitting under the Disruptive Capabilities and Technologies Office, it will join surface ship XV Patrick Blackett which already sits within the squadron.
It will serve as the testbed for leading-edge maritime technology, both exploiting the natural Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and stealth aspects of the XLUUV, alongside its ability to carry bespoke payloads.
As a demonstrator, the vessel will not perform operational duties but will shape future concepts.
Since being delivered to the Royal Navy earlier this year, Excalibur – named after the Arthurian legend – and an experimental high-speed submarine trialled by the Royal Navy in the 1950s and ’60s – has undergone Harbour and Sea Acceptance Trials (HATs and SATs) in Devonport Naval Base.
Rear Admiral Parkin added: “This is an exciting day for the Royal Navy, the UK Armed Forces, and my team in particular as today marks the moment at which we take ownership of this superb vessel for the first time.
“In our journey towards autonomy and mass, it is vital we learn by doing, and Excalibur will be our mechanism for understanding the complexity and challenges of operating a future team of crewed and uncrewed vessel and systems underwater.”