The largest in Europe: Britain presents first unmanned submarine Excalibur
The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom has officially unveiled its first unmanned submarine, the Excalibur. It is the largest unmanned submarine in the British Navy and in Europe.
Here's What We Know
The Excalibur experimental submarine is the culmination of the three-year Cetus project, which aims to expand the Royal Navy's capabilities in the use of unmanned underwater platforms.
Over the next two years, Excalibur will undergo sea trials to explore operational challenges. The purpose of these tests is to prepare for the integration of similar unmanned vehicles in the future so that they can effectively cooperate with crewed submarines.
The Excalibur unmanned submarine. Illustration: Royal Navy
The contract for the development of Excalibur was signed with MSubs in December 2022, with a project value of £15.4 million. The funding is provided under the Anti-Submarine Warfare Spearhead programme, which is coordinated by the Royal Navy Development Directorate.
The boat is 12 metres long, 2.2 metres in diameter and weighs 17 tonnes. Its range is 1,000 nautical miles. The Excalibur's design allows it to be transported in a standard freight container, which greatly simplifies transportation to anywhere in the world.
Source: Royal Navy
