London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

The UK Navy's new drone submarine is the length of an iconic London bus and will help to 'dominate the underwater battlespace'

The UK Navy's new drone submarine is the length of an iconic London bus and will help to 'dominate the underwater battlespace'

The British-built crewless vessel is the length of a double-decker bus, weighs 17 tonnes, and will be able to cover 1,000 miles in a single mission.
The UK military has signed a £15.4 million ($18.7 million) contract to buy a crewless submarine the length of a London double-decker bus, the government has announced. 

The 40-foot long, 17-tonne vessel — named Cetus after a mythological sea monster — is to be delivered to the navy by 2024 and will be the first crewless submarine in the British fleet, the Telegraph reports. It will be used to protect critical national infrastructure and monitor sub-sea activity.

The Ministry of Defence says that Cetus can cover 1,000 miles of the ocean floor in a single mission and has a maximum operational depth that will exceed that of the current submarine fleet. It will be the largest and most complex crewless submersible operated by a European navy, said a government press release.

First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key has said: "This Extra Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle is a capability step-change in our mission to dominate the underwater battlespace."

The news of the new British vessel comes as the West considers the threat posed by the mysterious damage to the Nord Stream pipeline — a series of pipes that carries gas from Russia to Europe — in September. Russian saboteurs were suspected of being responsible for the Nord Stream leak.

John Brennan, the former CIA director, told CNN it was an "act of sabotage" and named Russia a suspect. At the same time, a British defense source said it was likely that the leak was caused by a pre-planned attack using remotely-detonated explosives.

The UK's need to protect its underwater space was highlighted in October when remote islands off the coast of Scotland were mysteriously cut off from the outside world, with phones and internet connections not working after damage to an undersea cable, Insider's Sinead Baker reported at the time. 

Celebrating the news of the new Navy vessel, Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said: "To meet the growing threats to our underwater infrastructure, the Royal Navy needs to be ahead of the competition with cutting-edge capabilities. We have the right equipment to protect the security of the UK and our Allies."
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
×