"Critical" AI upgrades for HMS Prince of Wales to make sure Royal Navy flagship can "succeed in her mission"

HMS Prince of Wales has seen her infrastructure systems boosted ahead of 2026. Its aim is to make sure the aircraft carrier’s advanced AI capabilities remain operational in her home waters, across the globe on carrier strike group deployments, or in remote and disconnected environments.

The technology will be able to be used during global deployments akin to Operation Highmast in the Indo-Pacific.

First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins said: “Leveraging modern AI solutions across the entire operations of the Royal Navy is critical to the UK’s defensive capabilities. To ensure the HMS Prince of Wales can succeed in her mission, the Royal Navy has deployed a solution that leverages the benefits of sovereign AI securely, without compromising operational control or efficiencies, no matter where it is in the world.”

Portable Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) hardware has been equipped to HMS Prince of Wales to run Saga, a sovereign AI product developed by Whitespace. Roving Edge Infrastructure will allow for sailors to receive critical data which is processed quickly.

Information won’t need to be relayed back to shore-based systems, allowing for more operational autonomy. Complex mission data will be processed faster, allowing for personnel to react to military situations faster and with greater confidence.

Oracle said all this can be done without compromising sensitive information. Roving Edge Infrastructure uses cloud computing and an optimised server so it can be used. Its protected by a military-grade ruggedised case, that can limit emanations and interference through electromagnets.

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Jason Rees, senior vice president for technology cloud engineering at Oracle, said: “The Royal Navy, and more widely the Ministry of Defence, needs to store and run their sovereign data in environments that are highly secure while maintaining operational control. The mission is at the edge. By using OCI Roving Edge Infrastructure, the Royal Navy can seamlessly and securely develop, deploy, and maintain sovereign AI capabilities for the flagship anytime, anywhere.”

Whitespace is a UK AI company that uses software called Collective, a modular AI operating system for high-risk environments. Under this system, Saga provides personnel with an app-like interface so it can review data and act accordingly.

Chief Partnerships Officer Andrew Webber said: “Deploying Saga on OCI Roving Edge Infrastructure shows what is now possible when sovereign AI is paired with resilient cloud-at-the-edge technology. The Royal Navy needs capabilities that work anywhere, under any conditions, and this collaboration delivers exactly that. Together with Oracle, we are proving that the UK can field trusted, secure AI in live operational environments today.”