Royal Navy Commissions First Autonomous Squadron in Portsmouth

The Royal Navy formally commissioned the 1st Autonomous Squadron on November 5 at Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth, in a ceremony attended by more than 200 guests including naval personnel, officials, media and families. The new unit is intended to operate uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) in frontline operations, as part of the British Navy's progress toward a hybrid fleet combining traditional ships with autonomous technology.

The squadron has around 180 personnel, a complement equivalent to that of a Type 23 frigate, split into two watches to sustain round-the-clock operations. The unit replaces Project Beehive, the Navy's initial programme to acquire a fleet of autonomous and uncrewed vessels as a testbed for hybrid fleet technologies.

During the ceremony, the vessels Kraken and Rattler were showcased, maneuvered in Portsmouth harbour from a control centre. According to the Royal Navy, both models exemplify the rapid adaptation of commercial technology for military use. The squadron's commanding officer, Commander Helen Coxon, stated that the immediate priority is to bring these vessels into operational service, develop tactics and skills, and integrate new uncrewed systems into the fleet, working alongside international allies.

The squadron's deployment is part of a £1.5 billion investment over four years for the development of the hybrid fleet, funding that Defence Secretary Wes Streeting linked to the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War. The expansion will be carried out jointly with Navy Develop, the Disruptive Capabilities and Technologies Office, and the Capability Accelerator team, which opened a new headquarters in Portsmouth to speed up these developments. Vice Admiral Steve Moorhouse, Fleet Commander, called it a historic moment for a force that until now has been based on crewed ships, submarines and aircraft.