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• Thales has been awarded a major contract by Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) for the design, development and delivery of the next-generation of portable autonomous command centres, marking a significant advancement in the transformation of the Royal Navy’s Mine Counter Measures (MCM) capability.
• This contract, which will revolutionise maritime autonomous mine hunting, directly supports the UK’s Strategic Defence vision for a “Hybrid Navy”.
• Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) from cortAIx, the powerful AI accelerator from Thales, the Mi-Map and M-Cube applications accelerate and secure operations at the heart of the command centre.
• Thales is leveraging its 60-year heritage in mine counter measures and strong investment in new technologies to continue delivering cutting-edge systems.
Awarded under the Autonomous Remote Command Centre (RCC) contract, this initial £10 million investment marks the first stage of a programme which has scope to grow to up to £100 million to deliver next-generation mine countermeasures capability for the Royal Navy.
The Group will lead the integration of multiple unmanned assets, both above and below the water, into becoming a true system of systems for safer, more efficient and agile mine hunting missions. It will provide the hardware, software, training and technical advice collaborating with a robust UK supply chain to enable iterative capability improvement and rapid technology adoption.
The Thales M-Cube Mission Management System will be at the heart of the command centres. This combat-proven software suite is already used by multiple navies worldwide for planning, execution and evaluation of both conventional and autonomous MCM missions. It provides unparalleled situational awareness from the task force to individual unit level.
Mi-Map planning and evaluation software lies at the heart of the Royal Navy’s new remote Command Centre. Featuring advanced AI-powered automatic target recognition, it empowers operators by intelligently filtering and refining raw data, streamlining and expediting the mine hunting process. Leveraging machine learning, Mi-Map continually enhances its database and processes vast quantities of information beyond human capability. Not only it accelerates target identification but also delivers superior accuracy and effectiveness compared to traditional systems.
This sophisticated AI is developed with the support of cortAIx, Thales AI accelerator with a global workforce of 800 experts in AI within the Group serving the performance of sovereign advanced systems and sensors in critical environments.
Working with programme partners, Thales will initially deliver twin-containerised solutions that will seamlessly integrate platforms, systems and sub-systems. This highly flexible capability, will transform how MCM is conducted - allowing Royal Navy personnel to coordinate a fleet of uncrewed and autonomous assets, greatly increasing operational effectiveness while maximising personnel safety.
Its utility, for autonomous command and control, has application across the seabed warfare domain and aligns with the UK Government’s vision for a ‘Hybrid Navy’ and the Royal Navy’s Long Term Capability Plan for MCM mission systems integration.
“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 is part of a flexible suite of autonomous C2 from containerised solutions to vessel operations centres or 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.” Paul Armstrong, Managing Director for Underwater Systems activities, Thales in the UK.
"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.” - Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP
Thales’ significant investment in UK mine countermeasures has sustained over 200 highly skilled jobs particularly at Thales’ Somerset and Plymouth sites while reinforcing the broader ecosystem of suppliers and partners across the region.
About Thales
Thales (thalesgroup.com) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services addresses several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.
The Group invests more than €4 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum and cloud technologies.
Thales has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.
About Thales in the UK
Thales in the UK is a team of over 7,000 experts, including 4,500 highly skilled engineers, located across 16 sites.
Each year Thales invests over £575 million into its UK supply chain, working with over 2,000 companies. They are dedicated to research and technology, working with partners to invest over £130m+ in R&D in the UK annually. In February 2025, Thales launches cortAIx in the UK, its AI accelerator, with 200 experts in AI for critical systems
With a heritage of over 130 years, Thales in the UK understands the importance of developing skills for the future, with over 400 apprentices and graduates across the UK. Thales is committed to continuously developing talent, and highly skilled experts.
Recent images of Thales and its Defense, Aerospace and Cyber & Digital activities can be found on the Thales Media Library. For any specific requests, please contact the Media Relations team.
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