Thales Command Centre (Representational Image).
Thales UK Royal Navy Command and Control Centre Contract: New Delhi: Thales has secured a major contract from the UK’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) agency to design, develop and deliver the next generation of portable autonomous command centres for the Royal Navy, marking a significant step forward in the transformation of the service’s Mine Counter Measures (MCM) capability.
Awarded under the Autonomous Remote Command Centre (RCC) programme, the initial £10 million contract represents the first phase of an initiative that could grow to as much as £100 million. The programme is aimed at delivering a next-generation mine countermeasures capability that supports the UK Government’s Strategic Defence vision for a “Hybrid Navy,” combining crewed and uncrewed systems to enhance operational effectiveness and safety.
Under the contract, Thales will lead the integration of multiple unmanned assets operating both above and below the water, bringing them together as a fully connected “system of systems” for maritime autonomous mine hunting. The company will provide hardware, software, training and technical advice, working closely with a strong UK-based supply chain to enable rapid technology adoption and iterative improvements over time.
At the core of the new command centres will be Thales’ M-Cube Mission Management System, a combat-proven software suite already in service with several navies worldwide. The system supports the planning, execution and evaluation of both conventional and autonomous mine countermeasures missions, delivering enhanced situational awareness from task force level down to individual units.
Central to the Royal Navy’s new remote command capability is Mi-Map planning and evaluation software, which incorporates advanced artificial intelligence and automatic target recognition. Using machine learning, Mi-Map filters and refines large volumes of raw sensor data, significantly accelerating the mine-hunting process while improving accuracy and effectiveness compared with traditional systems. The software continuously enhances its database and analytical performance, processing information at a scale beyond human capability.
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This AI capability has been developed with the support of cortAIx, Thales’ global AI accelerator, which brings together around 800 AI experts across the group to support sovereign advanced systems and sensors operating in critical environments.
Working with programme partners, Thales will initially deliver twin containerised autonomous command centre solutions. These highly flexible systems will seamlessly integrate platforms, systems and sub-systems, allowing Royal Navy personnel to coordinate fleets of uncrewed and autonomous assets from a remote location. The approach is expected to transform how mine countermeasures are conducted, improving mission efficiency while maximising personnel safety.
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Beyond mine hunting, the autonomous command-and-control capability has wider applications across the seabed warfare domain and aligns with both the Royal Navy’s Long Term Capability Plan for MCM mission systems integration and the UK Government’s broader Hybrid Navy vision.
Paul Armstrong, Managing Director for Underwater Systems activities at Thales in the UK, said the contract reinforces the company’s long-standing role in supporting the Royal Navy. “Thales is honoured to continue its central role in delivering mine countermeasures capability to the Royal Navy, building on our proven heritage. This next generation of autonomous command centres forms part of a flexible suite of autonomous command-and-control solutions, from containerised systems to vessel-based and large shore operations centres. By collaborating across the supply chain, we are committed to supporting the UK with world-class technology and fostering growth and high-value skilled jobs across our UK operations.”
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UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard MP highlighted the growing strategic importance of such capabilities. “The threat to the UK is growing, driven by global instability, Russian aggression, and a greater willingness of states and hostile actors to target our critical infrastructure. By embracing autonomous maritime technology, the Royal Navy is pioneering innovation to help keep our sailors safe at sea. This is backed by a UK defence industry delivering world-class capabilities that exemplify how defence acts as an engine for growth,” he said.
Thales’ sustained investment in UK mine countermeasures has supported more than 200 highly skilled jobs, particularly at its Somerset and Plymouth sites, while also strengthening a broader regional ecosystem of suppliers and partners.
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