US and UK launch torpedo from underwater drone – a first
London has reported that the test took place last week in UK waters, as part of the AUKUS alliance with Australia
The UK and the US have carried out the first-ever test launch of a torpedo from an unmanned underwater vehicle, rather than from a manned submarine, the British government has announced.
In a statement, London reported that the test took place last week in UK waters, as part of the AUKUS alliance with Australia.
The British government has stated that the test “marks a major step forward in the future of underwater technology” for the three countries. It also represents “a significant breakthrough for Euro-Atlantic security and for NATO’s advantage in the underwater domain”, the statement added. London clarified that the heavy torpedo – jointly developed by the United States and Australia – was launched from a 12-metre-long underwater drone, manufactured in Britain and named “Excalibur”.
Sidharth Kaushal, a senior researcher at the RUSI think tank, described the event as “noteworthy”. “The use of lethal payloads demonstrates that unmanned systems can perform roles that go far beyond mere surveillance,” he told AFP.
