The Royal Navy’s advanced autonomous mine-hunting technology has progressed significantly with the inaugural deployment and testing of the “Apollo” uncrewed Maritime Mine Counter Measure (MMCM) vessel.
The small autonomous craft, produced by L3 Harris under a contract with Thales, is designed to be launched from a larger ship to conduct seabed scans for different types of mines. This initiative, which is part of the MMCM programme, aims to enhance the operational capabilities of both the UK and French navies through an agreement managed by OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation) which represents both nations.
The trial was conducted in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, a site that offered a challenging and effective setting characterized by suitable water depth and coastal currents. The Apollo, equipped with a towed sensor and synthetic aperture sonar, was deployed from the Defence Marine Services vessel SD Northern River. This event marks the inaugural integration of MMCM equipment onto a commercial ship, paving the way for future trials and illustrating the feasibility of utilizing commercial vessels as “floating bases” for specific operations.
The Apollo was produced by L3 Harris under a contract with Thales (France) and was delivered to the UK in 2021 as a concept demonstrator. Following the successful trial, Apollo will be returned to Thales for retrofitting and enhancements before being transferred to the Royal Navy in a year. The overall contract value between the UK and France amounts to EUR 430 million, with GBP 184 million allocated from the UK.
The full production contract is expected to sustain over 200 jobs in the UK, including positions at Thales in Templecombe, Somerset, and Plymouth, Devon, as well as throughout its supply chain, which encompasses L3 Harris in Portsmouth, Stonehaven in Aberdeen, and Alba Ultrasound in Glasgow.
Andy Lapsley, DE&S MHC Team Leader said:
“This trial, which successfully demonstrated the potential for the Maritime Mine Counter Measures capability to be deployed flexibly and at pace for the Royal Navy, is a result of years of dedicated effort and collaboration by the MHC team, demonstrating our commitment to advancing mine countermeasures technology and commercial platform integration.”
He added:
“I am immensely grateful to all participants across the Defence enterprise who came together to make this happen.”
Commander Daniel Herridge, the Commanding Officer of the Royal Navy’s Mine & Threat Exploration Group, said:
“Building on previous success this has been another step in the paradigm shift of delivering Mine Counter Measures capability in a completely new way, harnessing technology and building on the skills of our people to continue to deliver world leading capability.
“Utilising the MMCM system in the SD Northern River, the Maritime Autonomous System Trials Team has operated prototype and demonstrator equipment with improved sensors and effectors from a Vessel of Opportunity to enhance sustainability and reach to this rapidly evolving concept of capability delivery.”
He added:
“The Mine & Threat Exploitation Group will continue to support the enterprise in delivering these important trials to progress operational evaluation and accelerate capability delivery for provision of a modern and high-tech operational capability within the maritime environment, safeguarding the UK’s interests both at home and overseas.”
Navy Force Generation Defence Marine Services delivers eight MOD Service Delivery Areas through two DE&S Marine Services contracts. The SDAs include provision of two offshore ships that support military training and exercises worldwide.
Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) programme
France and the United Kingdom launched a programme aimed at evaluating and enhancing a MMCM capability, which includes the use of unmanned systems that can operate remotely at a safe distance from their parent vessels or through a command and control centre, either onboard or stationed on land.
The primary goal of the MMCM programme is to establish a flexible, interoperable, and resilient MMCM capability. This initiative will explore options for replacing current Mine Counter Measure Vessels as they are phased out of service, while also assessing the life-cycle cost advantages of implementing mine countermeasure capabilities in a novel manner. The stand-off approach focuses on off-board capabilities designed to keep personnel away from minefields whenever feasible.
By effectively neutralizing static underwater threats swiftly, these systems will provide strategic, operational, and tactical manoeuvrability, thereby ensuring the capability for maritime force projection and security at the discretion of the nations involved, in support of a diverse array of naval operations.
This bilateral initiative was officially established under the Lancaster House Treaties between France and the United Kingdom in late 2010. In March 2015, OCCAR awarded a contract for a demonstration phase following a competitive bidding process.
The contract was initially organized into a firm tranche for Stage 1 (Study, Definition, and Design Stage) and included fixed prices for two optional tranches: OT1 for Stage 2 (Manufacture of two systems) and Stage 3 (Qualification), and OT2 for Stage 4 (Support to Evaluation).
On 20 October 2016, the United Kingdom and France jointly announced the initiation of Stages 2 and 3 of the MMCM programme. This announcement came after the successful conclusion of a 15-month study focused on definition and design. Stages 2 and 3 involve the production and qualification of two identical MMCM prototype/demonstrators.
These autonomous unmanned systems, which can be deployed from the shore or at a safe distance from parent vessels, are designed to detect and neutralize sea mines and underwater explosive devices. Additionally, the MMCM programme includes a Stage 4 option, which provides a two-year support period for the evaluation of the systems by the Marine Nationale and the Royal Navy. During the France/United Kingdom Summit in January 2018, the French President and the UK Prime Minister expressed their commitment to expedite the operational deployment of the system.
The subsequent production phase, referred to as Stage II, has advanced swiftly, with the formal Programme Definition (ProgD) and the associated contract for both nations being signed in October 2020. Stage II encompasses both common and unique development activities, the manufacture of multiple systems, the establishment of a shore operation and training centre, and various costed contractual options, including In-Service Support (ISS).
