VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Unmanned Marine Systems: North Atlantic Ocean

Asked by Ben Obese-JectyConservativeMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 20 March 2026UIN 120449

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made in delivering Atlantic Net.

Answered by Luke Pollard

The Royal Navy (RN) will be deploying new undersea warfare technology as part of Atlantic Net, a new initiative that will see the RN rapidly field and iterate undersea warfare technology in collaboration with a Commercial Mission Partner or Partners. The initial commercial competition closed in late Nov 25 with follow on technical assessment undertaken during Dec 25, this process down-selected from 26 compliant consortia to five.

The RN has worked collaboratively with these five consortia over the past three months, investing £5.6 million to rapidly develop and evidence these capabilities further before the Atlantic Net Commercial Mission Partner will be selected and scaled, pending approval in the Defence Investment Plan.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim