Preparations for ‘Unmanned Warrior’ underway

The Royal Navy has hosted a number of organizations working on unmanned maritime systems for the main planning conference for October’s Unmanned Warrior.

The demonstration of unmanned systems overlaid onto the twice-yearly multinational Joint Warrior exercise staged off western Scotland will allow the Royal Navy to see first-hand how some of the systems and sensors could integrate into current and future operations.

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.”

According to the Royal Navy, Unmanned Warrior will see more than 50 vehicles, sensors and systems operating in a number of themed activities in the MOD exercise areas based around Scotland.

Commander Pipkin added: “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.

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.”