Unmanned warfare systems will be at the centre of a huge NATO exercise based at Faslane this autumn.
The Royal Navy has hosted more than 40 organisations planning ‘Unmanned Warrior’ in October, with representatives from defence, industry and academia discussing how to deliver the largest unmanned systems event of its kind.
Fleet Robotics Officer Commander Peter Pipkin said: “We have made great progress, Unmanned Warrior is well set and it is going to blaze a path for others to follow.”
The demonstration of unmanned systems, overlaid onto the twice-yearly multinational Joint Warrior exercise staged off western Scotland and based at HM Naval Base Clyde, aims to ‘set a more challenging environment for the participants and allow the Royal Navy to see first-hand how some of the systems and sensors could integrate into current and future operations’.
More than 50 vehicles, sensors and systems will operate in ‘a number of themed activities’ in the MoD exercise areas based around Scotland.
A statement said: “The growing scale of Unmanned Warrior is a clear demonstration of the Royal Navy’s ambition to lead and win through technological innovation.”
Commander Pipkin added: “We are deliberately trying to keep the scope of activity as broad as possible; there are few, if any, constraints on what participants have offered to demonstrate.
“Unmanned Warrior is about seeking innovative ways to operate on the leading edge of technology; it’s not about removing humans from the decision chain or replacing every bit of our current capabilities with unmanned systems.
“If it’s unmanned and it can operate in the maritime environment then we are working hard to find a way of incorporating it into the programme.”
Admiral Sir Philip Jones, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, said ”The growing scale of Unmanned Warrior is a clear demonstration of the Royal Navy’s ambition to lead and win through technological innovation.
“Unmanned maritime systems will change how we operate, but they’re just the start. Our pursuit of new technologies and ideas – from big data to 3D-printing – will ensure we remain one of the most capable and successful navies in the world.”
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