The Prime Minister Johnson visited the Diving and Threat Exploitation Group at the Defence Diving School on Horsea Island, Portsmouth, on Tuesday to hear about how the Royal Navy is modernising its minehunters and witnessed their capabilities.
During a two-week exercise in Lithuania, Royal Navy divers used robots and autonomous vessels to aid with their operations including Remus – a torpedo-shaped submersible which can survey and map possible ordnance.
Divers from Delta Diving Unit, from the Diving & Threat Exploitation Group trained alongside Canadian, Lithuanian, US, Dutch and Estonian colleagues in disarming improvised explosive devices.
Navy chiefs are dramatically increasing the number of robotic and autonomous minehunters which can be controlled from greater distances to protect Britain’s sailors.
Ukrainian Navy personnel have begun learning how to operate Royal Navy Sandown-class minehunters.
The Ukrainian Naval Capabilities Enhancement Programme was struck last year and includes selling two surplus RN Sandown class vessels to Ukraine.
There are currently approximately 80 Ukrainian trainees and support staff based in the UK.
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