Royal Navy: Futuristic drones and uncrewed vessels to be tested with XV Patrick Blackett and MoD - pictures

Royal Navy personnel are testing the latest technologies which are at their disposal. An armed autonomous Pacific 24 RHIB, hand-launched mini quadcopters, uncrewed surface vessels and surveillance drones will join specially-designed shipping containers – known as PODS – experimentation vessel XV Patrick Blackett for wargame exercises organised by Nato.

More than 200 UK personnel from the Royal Navy, Ministry of Defence and defence industry will work alongside personnel from 25 other nations for the REPMUS exercise. The drills will be held in Troia, south Portugal. The aim is to take cutting-edge uncrewed systems from the testing phase to being integrated into operations and task groups.

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XV Patrick Blackett, based in Portsmouth, is acting as a test bed for elements of the trials. The Royal Navy is currently testing the uncrewed vehicle Peregrine; surveillance drones Puma and Ebee Vision; uncrewed aerial systems Rotron and a remote-piloted seaboat. The Navy’s Office for Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) sent NavyPODS, which can act as operation rooms, command centres and provides extra storage space for drones.

Royal Navy Director Develop, Rear Admiral James Parkin, oversees NavyX and leads the teams responsible for developing the technologies and systems of the future Fleet. He said: “This year is by far the biggest Exercise REPMUS, and the strongest ever Royal Navy contribution to this important event. The successes already experienced, including proving the ability of all three AUKUS navies to command and control vessels on the other side of the world in a tactically-realistic scenario, show how close we are to realising our ambition of a genuine team of crewed and uncrewed systems, capable of operating and prevailing everywhere on the planet, from the seabed to space.”

This year’s exercise will contribute to the AUKUS programme for the first time – a partnership between the UK, USA and Australia. During the three-week exercise, the Royal Navy will work closely with NATO allies and industry partners to bolster its use of the latest technology on frontline operations. It aims to thoroughly test the drones in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance scenarios.

XV Patrick Blackett will be used as a launch pad on the nearby shoreline. Anti-submarine warfare equipment will also be tested, as well as machines to protect underwater infrastructure. Underwater drones will be launched their data and information fed back to personnel to see how they can protect data cables and other infrastructure.