Atlantic Bastion is in direct response to a resurgence in Russian submarine and underwater activity, including the activities of Russian spy ship Yantar around UK waters. UK Defense Intelligence has identified that Putin is currently modernizing his fleet to target critical undersea cables and pipelines.
Atlantic Bastion will create an advanced hybrid naval force to defend the UK and NATO allies against evolving threats. It will enable the UK to find, track, and, if required, act against adversaries with unprecedented effectiveness across vast areas of the ocean.
There has been a huge appetite from industry, with combined MOD/industry seedcorn investment of £14 million already committed this year to testing and development. Twenty-six firms from the UK and Europe have submitted proposals to develop anti-submarine sensor technology, and 20 companies from big primes to tech SMEs are already showcasing technology demonstrators, with public investment matched by private investment so far at a 4:1 ratio.
The next phase of the development and testing will see successful companies take forward development work from concept to frontline—with capabilities due to be deployed in the water in 2026, and further investment to accelerate and expand the program to follow.
The launch of Atlantic Bastion comes as First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins set out his vision for the future of the Royal Navy at the International Sea Power Conference in London.
“We are a Navy that thrives when it is allowed to adapt. To evolve. We have never stood still—because the threats never do,” he said. “The SDR identified the maritime domain as increasingly vulnerable—and that maritime security is a strategic imperative for the UK. It is time to act.
“This begins with Atlantic Bastion—our bold new approach to secure the underwater battlespace against a modernizing Russia. Our commitment to Alliance. And it is happening now.
“A revolutionary underwater network is taking shape—from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge to the Norwegian Sea. More autonomous, more resilient, more lethal—and British built. We’ve already made rapid and significant progress with delivering Atlantic Bastion. A force that keeps us secure at home and strong abroad.”
Atlantic Bastion will see ships, submarines, aircraft, and uncrewed vessels connected through AI-powered acoustic detection technology and integrated into a digital targeting web—a pioneering network of weapons systems that allow battlefield decisions for targeting enemy threats to be made and executed faster.
Defense Secretary, John Healey said: “People should be in no doubt of the new threats facing the UK and our allies under the sea, where adversaries are targeting infrastructure that is so critical to our way of life.
“This new era of threat demands a new era for defense, and we must rapidly innovate at a wartime pace to maintain the battlefield edge as we deliver on the Strategic Defense Review.
“Our pioneering Atlantic Bastion program is a blueprint for the future of the Royal Navy. It combines the latest autonomous and AI technologies with world-class warships and aircraft to create a highly advanced hybrid fighting force to detect, deter, and defeat those who threaten us.”
