What prime contractor Thales bills as the world’s first end-to-end autonomous maritime minehunting system has been delivered to the UK Royal Navy, Thales announced on 14 March 2025.
The new capability consists of an unmanned surface vessel (USV) – the 12 m long Royal Navy Motor Boat (RNMB) Ariadne – as well as an advanced towed sonar (TSAM) with a cutting-edge multi-vision sonar (SAMDIS), a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and a lightweight operations centre (e-POC), all supported by a secure command-and-control system.
Additionally, Thales has developed a sonar analysis application, Mi-Map, that processes sonar data up to four times faster than current systems, allowing even more precise detection and classification of sea floor mines.
The new vessel can be deployed from a coastal base or mother ship to hunt the seabed and water column for mines.
The technology allows mines to be rapidly detected in a more cost-effective and safer manner than previously, greatly increasing operational tempo and eliminating the need for sailors to enter mined danger areas.
The system was delivered under the Anglo-French Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) programme, which was initiated in 2012 to develop an autonomous system for the detection and neutralisation of sea mines and underwater improvised explosive devices (UWIEDs). Thales was awarded the MMCM prime contractorship in 2015 by Europe’s Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR).
In France the effort is known as the SLAM-F (Système de lutte anti-mines marines du future) programme. The French Navy received its first MMCM/SLAM-F system in December 2024.
According to the UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) organisation, the total contract value of the MMCM for the UK and France is EUR 430 million. The delivery of a first MMCM system to the Royal Navy – the first of four initial systems it will receive this year – is part of the Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) programme led by DE&S, which aims to transition from conventional manned mine countermeasures vessels to maritime autonomous systems.
Following the delivery of RNMB Ariadne, Royal Navy personnel will undertake a period of training under Thales’ guidance before independently conducting a rigorous operational evaluation of the equipment and beginning to utilise the MMCM system to fulfil operational duties.
In September 2024 a trial of the prototype MMCM vessel, RNMB Apollo, successfully demonstrated the potential for the capability to be deployed flexibly and at pace by the Royal Navy, paving the way for the delivery of RNMB Ariadne. That trial took place in Scotland’s Firth of Clyde: a location that proved to be an effective testbed, according to DE&S.
Speaking of the first UK MMCM delivery, Jonathan Reed-Beviere, programme director of the Mine Hunting Capability Programme in the Royal Navy, said, “This achievement is fundamental to the Royal Navy’s ambition to embrace maritime autonomous systems, as the first Degree 3 autonomous vessel to be delivered into the hands of our sailors, furthering our dedication to removing personnel from the danger of operating within a minefield.”
Phil Siveter, CEO of Thales UK, added, “We are incredibly proud to deliver this world-first autonomous minehunting system to the Royal Navy. With the introduction of AI and advanced sensor technology, this innovation represents a new era in maritime defence technology and demonstrates our unwavering commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions that enhance the capabilities of our defence forces. The Royal Navy will now have a powerful tool to safeguard national interests and maintain security at sea.”
