Overview
- The Ministry of Defence confirmed Atlantic Bastion, a new hybrid force to protect seabed cables and pipelines using warships, patrol aircraft, uncrewed boats and drones.
- The concept links ships, submarines and aircraft with uncrewed surface and underwater systems via AI-powered acoustic detection feeding a digital targeting web.
- Portsmouth demonstrations showcased prototype systems including the Rattler uncrewed surface vessel, the Excalibur extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle and the SG-1 Fathom acoustic glider.
- Officials cite a roughly 30% rise in Russian vessel activity, and Defence Secretary John Healey said the spy ship Yantar operated near the UK and used lasers against RAF pilots.
- The programme remains in development with about £14m in initial public funding and heavy industry input, with leaders flagging stretched submarine availability and new UK–Norway Lunna House cooperation to bolster capacity.