The Future of the Royal Navy and the 'Hybrid Navy' Initiative - News, Platforms, Development and Speculation

[TorpedoJ]

You mean the sonar 2176 made by Thales?

In this case it's Thales UK, who are entirely British. The Flash dipping sonar is a mixture, CAPTAS-4 is French but our version has been adapted by Thales UK and their hull sonars and the rest of the CAPTAS line are French.

European conglomerates are an absolute mess to try to work out who does what and who has access to what information, but the RN's submarine sonars are one of the easier things to identify as being UK only.

 

[TorpedoJ]

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2026/09/chinas-new-giant-submarine-drone-mothership/
Never seen anything like this before. Like a floating shiplift. Wonder if Atlantic Bastion demands something similar?

 

[Reuben James]

You mean the sonar 2176 made by Thales?

Yeah, it was mentioned in 2025 here.

https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/news...lebrates-30-years-sonar-2076-and-unveils-next

 

[TorpedoJ]

Yeah, it was mentioned in 2025 here.

https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/news...-kingdom/thales-celebrates-30-years-sonar-207

Your link appears to be missing an end. I tried to add a 6 and that didn't work, was there another word?

 

[Reuben James]

Your link appears to be missing an end. I tried to add a 6 and that didn't work, was there another word?

Fixed it

 

[Reuben James]

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2026/09/chinas-new-giant-submarine-drone-mothership/
Never seen anything like this before. Like a floating shiplift. Wonder if Atlantic Bastion demands something similar?
View attachment 823861

That's interesting. I do think we'll need new auxiliaries going forward, and I reckon you could use something like this for the same role as RFA Proteus.

That said, the four amphibious transport ships could fit a couple of smaller unmanned submarines instead of their landing craft.

Rather than investing in Norwegian Standard Vessels, as Kongsberg reports the UK as doing, we should be looking at something between those ships and this Chinese vessel.

 

[Stellerfella]

Thales UK, who are entirely British

Not entirely British

 

[TorpedoJ]

Not entirely British

You think the sonars that go on our SSBNs aren't a sovereign development?
Thales develop the French sub sonars as well but entirely in France, that's how siloed it is.

 

[Brett Davidson]

News on RN nuclear submarines:

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/steel-to-be-cut-on-first-new-generation-british-attack-sub/

Steel to be cut for the first SSN-AUKUS next year, but a decision on numbers will not be made until 2028.

https://www.navylookout.com/foundat...on-of-the-royal-navy-nuclear-submarine-fleet/

More material here, with a link to the annual update report to parliament. There's stuff on which bits will be coming from where and so on.

https://assets.publishing.service.g...-057_DNE_2026_Annual_Update_to_Parliament.pdf

The 2026 report is the most specific statement of intent yet for SSN-AUKUS, with dates, money and named facilities. The decisions that will determine whether the RN gets the size of fleet it has been promised have been delayed. Sustaining the 18-month drumbeat over the long term will require joined-up planning across SSN-AUKUS, Dreadnought and the eventual Dreadnought successor.

The article outlines how the management of the interrelated Dreadnought and SSN-AUKUS programmes and industrial strategy should avoid the long delays of the Astute programme.

The first AUKUS-SSN will be entering service in the late 30s. The first Astutes will begin retiring years before the first of the new boats are in service, leading to a shrinking fleet, though they promise an increased production rate, with a new boat every 18 months.

The figure of “up to 12” SSNs promised in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) of June 2025, and reaffirmed in the Defence Investment Plan on 30 June, does not appear in the DNE report. The document refers only to an expanded SSN fleet, with decisions on the total number of submarines expected before D2L2 ends. Ministers restated the 12-boat ambition to the Defence Committee in June, so the omission may reflect drafting rather than policy.

Less time running the reactor at sea means less fuel burned from the PWR2’s Core H, which is designed to last the life of the boat. How long each Astute can serve will depend on both the condition of the hull and the fuel left in the core, and both may be in better shape than the boats’ ages suggest.

<sarc> If none are at sea, then they'll last a lot longer, won't they? </sarc>

 

[Stellerfella]

Very nice, hopefully we can clear this up then. I'm prepared to eat my words

Seems I was right

In response to your question, the Minister’s use of the term ‘augment’ referred to the potential procurement of complete Australian radar systems to enhance UK capability. As part of this work MOD will consider how any future procurement could leverage advanced technology already developed in Australia while creating opportunities for UK industry through co-development, co-production, component manufacture, integration and through-life support; providing a significant growth opportunity for the UK.