Underwater robot inspecting pipeline.
Share this @internewscast.com

BRITAIN’S top defence brainboxes have unveiled a Bond-style underwater drone designed to stop Putin’s cable-cutting saboteurs in their tracks.

The super sub can hunt out and destroy sabotage threats lurking on the seabed – by blowing them to smithereens.

Underwater robot inspecting pipeline.
The underwater drone can prevent adversaries from sabotaging undersea cables and pipelines by disarming or removing threatsCredit: UK Gov
Underwater robot disarming a threat.
The high-tech robot has already been trialled Portsmouth’s Horsea Island, Portland Harbour, South Wales and NorwayCredit: UK Gov
Underwater volcanic eruption.
The sub targets any potential saboteurs by blowing them to smithereensCredit: UK GOV

Created by the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the system is geared up to safeguard the UK’s crucial underwater cables and pipelines.

Employing a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), Dstl’s experts have integrated advanced sensors, cameras, and explosive systems into a sophisticated underwater robot.

That way, operators are able to spot unexploded bombs, place charges remotely, and safely neutralise the threat — without risking Royal Navy divers.

John, an explosives engineer at Dstl, mentioned: “This technology would be an important asset in ensuring the safety of our Armed Forces while also delivering cost-effectiveness for the public.”

“This unique capability with its sensors, tools and cameras will give operators a real time ability to deal with these underwater hazards in a safe, effective and efficient way.”

The underwater drone goes deeper than any diver can, staying down for far longer and working tirelessly.

It can be launched from a ship or even a shoreline, sending back sonar and video feeds to operators who remain at a safe distance while disarming explosives or fending off hostile actions.

Crucially, it’s reusable. Once a threat is neutralised, the drone sub lives to dive another day – cutting costs while keeping seas safe.

The project is also a win for British industry, supporting specialist jobs through partnerships with firms like Alford Technologies, Atlantas Marine, Sonardyne and ECS Special Projects.

Trials have already taken place in Portsmouth’s Horsea Island, Portland Harbour, South Wales and as far afield as Norway.

Putin humiliated as Russian war facility EXPLODES in Ukrainian drone strike

The Royal Navy is now developing tactics and techniques to make full use of the new tech.

The Ministry of Defence hailed the innovation on social media, calling it a leap forward in protecting sailors and vital undersea cables.

The new underwater drone arrives amid warnings about Russian undersea activity in UK waters.

 In April, it was revealed that Kremlin spy sensors had been found close to British territory — believed to be tracking the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines.

The sensors, reportedly deployed using Russian oligarchs’ luxury yachts, were discovered washed ashore and picked up by Navy minehunter ships.

Officials fear the covert operation could be part of a wider “greyzone” campaign to gather intelligence and target undersea infrastructure.

Royal Navy and RAF assets were scrambled last November when the suspected Russian spy ship Yantar was seen “lurking around pipelines and internet cables” in the Irish Sea.

Around the same time, RAF fighter jets intercepted a Russian warplane over the North Sea, and unmanned Russian underwater vehicles were also detected near communication cables.

HMS Cattistock shadowing the Admiral Vladimirsky in the English Channel.
The Minehunter HMS Cattistock (R) shadowing Admiral Vladimirsky through the English ChannelCredit: SWNS
an illustration of putin 's cable cutter russian spy ship yantar was spotted off the uk

One senior source told The Sunday Times:  “It’s a bit like the space race. This is a world clouded in secrecy and subterfuge… but there’s enough smoke to suggest something is on fire somewhere.”

In March, HMS Cattistock and a Wildcat helicopter were sent to monitor the Admiral Vladimirskiy, a so-called research ship revealed in 2023 to be a spy vessel suspected of probing Britain’s power supply and internet links.

HMS Somerset and other Royal Navy units were also deployed multiple times to escort Russian vessels including a beach landing ship returning from the Mediterranean.

At least 11 internet cables in the Baltic Sea have been damaged in the past 15 months — some suspected to have been dragged by Russian ships — while surface vessels like the Admiral Vladimirskiy have continued probing waters near the UK.

In response, military chiefs are drawing up Operation Atlantic Bastion — a sweeping new patrol mission using air, land and sea forces to defend UK and Nato interests in the North Atlantic.

What is the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory?

THE Defence Science and Technology Laboratory — better known as Dstl — is the UK government’s secretive hub of military innovation.

Based at Porton Down in Wiltshire, it’s packed with some of Britain’s brightest scientific minds, often likened to James Bond’s Q Branch.

Part of the Ministry of Defence, Dstl works behind the scenes to give UK Armed Forces a cutting-edge advantage.

From cyber warfare and AI to battlefield tech and bio-defence, it develops, tests and fine-tunes everything that keeps British troops one step ahead.

Dstl collaborates with industry, universities and international partners, but much of its work remains classified.

Its projects aren’t just for warfighting — they’re designed to save lives, protect national infrastructure, and deliver tech that punches well above its weight on the world stage.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' could spell trouble for gamblers: What to know

Trump’s Promised Legislation May Pose Risks for Gamblers: Key Points Explained

A gambling tax provision in President Trump’s megabill that passed Congress earlier…
Manhattan high-rise shooting victims: NYPD officer, Blackstone executive and security guard among those killed

Victims of Manhattan High-Rise Shooting: NYPD Officer, Blackstone Executive, and Security Guard Among Those Killed

Four people were killed when a gunman stormed into a New York…
NYC shooting: Mayor says gunman was targeting NFL headquarters

New York City Shooting: Mayor Reveals Attack was Aimed at NFL Offices

The shooting occurred at a skyscraper that houses the NFL headquarters, Blackstone,…
Crews struggle to contain wildfire on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon

Firefighters Battle to Control Wildfire at the Grand Canyon’s North Rim

PHOENIX (AP) — A combination of extremely dry conditions and strong winds…
NTSB launches hearings on deadly Washington collision between a helicopter and passenger plane

NTSB Begins Hearings on Fatal Collision in Washington Involving Helicopter and Passenger Plane

Commencing on Wednesday, a three-day series of investigative hearings will delve into…
Kap Hope, Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland, with colorful houses and ice floes in the water.

Haunting Ghost Town on the World’s Largest Island: Abandoned for 20 Years, Accessed Only by Dog Sled or Boat

ON the edge of the Earth lies a village frozen in time…
Jimmy Hoffa's family calls on Trump to release FBI files

Hoffa Family Urges Trump to Unseal FBI Documents

Fifty years ago today, at 2:30 p.m. in the parking lot of…
Center Point principal placed on leave following arrest

Center Point School Principal Suspended After Recent Arrest

The following story was written by Terry Schrimscher of the Trussville Tribune.…
Stream It Or Skip It?

Watch or Walk Away?

Kaiju mavens, cool your nuclear flame breath — Monster Island (now streaming…
NYC shooting timeline shows gunman moved with speed in cross-country drive that ended with office bloodshed

Timeline of NYC Shooting Reveals Gunman’s Quick Cross-Country Drive Leading to Office Tragedy

Four individuals have lost their lives after a man launched an attack…

Inventor Julian Brown Expresses Gratitude for Safety Before Missing Persons Reports Stir Social Media

AN INVENTOR popular on social media shared several concerning videos before he…
Portrait of Police Officer Didarul Islam.

NYPD Officer Shot by Shane Tamura: Who Was Didarul Islam?

THE NYPD officer killed in the New York skyscraper shooting on July…