The United Kingdom has intensified its actions against Russian submarine activity in the Atlantic by using SG-1 Fathom marine gliders, autonomous vehicles capable of silently patrolling the depths of the ocean for months.
Developed by the German company Helsing, the system is being tested by the Royal Navy as part of a strategy to detect Russian submarines suspected of mapping the country’s critical cables and pipelines. According to the program’s leadership, the glider uses decades of acoustic data to identify threats much more quickly than traditional methods.
The initiative is part of Atlantic Bastion, a project created to protect Britain’s underwater infrastructure amid growing Russian pressure. The Ministry of Defence states that the presence of Russian vessels with offensive capabilities has increased by 30% in two years. The alert grew stronger after the Russian vessel Yantar was repeatedly spotted near the UK’s economic zone and even fired lasers at UK pilots.
Recent parliamentary reports also point to serious vulnerabilities, indicating a risk of devastating disruptions to financial and communication systems.
During a visit to Portsmouth, Defence Secretary John Healey emphasized that new technologies are essential to maintaining a strategic advantage, showcasing equipment such as the Excalibur underwater vehicle and the uncrewed Proteus helicopter.
The United Kingdom has also entered into an agreement with Norway to intensify the hunt for Russian submarines and protect critical routes in the North Atlantic, stressing that the response must match the speed of the threat.
Source: Militarnyi | Photo: X @Bricktop_NAFO | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
This is the SG-1 Fathom, an autonomous undersea glider equipped with advanced AI to detect and track subsurface threats.
An example of how Atlantic Bastion’s new generation of underwater defence technology will defend our waters.
Read more 👉 https://t.co/yTLZbFNgax pic.twitter.com/9CbCrH57H4
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) December 9, 2025
🇬🇧The New British Drone Built For Hunting Russian Submarines🇬🇧
🇬🇧The SG-1 Fathom🇬🇧
•Each drone can operate for 3 months underwater without surfacing
• They’re so cheap 100s can be deployed at once
• They only surface when something suspicious is detected
• The AI… pic.twitter.com/0kaKYOTEZs— Bricktop_NAFO (@Bricktop_NAFO) May 14, 2025
