The drone armada: Navy deploys unmanned vessels against Putin spy ships

The Royal Navy has commissioned its first squadron of uncrewed boats to patrol UK waters and respond to Russian activity, including spy ships. Remotely controlled by 180 sailors, the vessels can be deployed quickly and discreetly, adding capacity as the Navy faces a shortage of crewed ships.

The squadron has more than 20 K3 Scout boats, each 28ft long and capable of reaching 55 knots, with a standard range of about 800 miles. Their modular equipment can include radar, surveillance systems or missiles; larger fuel tanks could extend their range to 1,100 miles. The Navy has five frigates, expected to fall to three, while most of its six Type 45 destroyers are in maintenance; the Government plans to invest £1.5 billion in naval drones over four years.