The ‘Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance Ship’ project was originally for one ship to protect the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure. Two ships are now planned.

Speaking to the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

“This week we saw the mysterious damage inflicted to the Nord Stream pipeline, and it should remind us all of how fragile our economy and infrastructure is to such hybrid attacks. Our intent is to protect them; our internet and energy are highly reliant on pipelines and cables.

Russia makes no secret of its ability to target such infrastructure, and it’s for that reason I can announce we have recently committed to two specialist ships with the capability to keep our cables and pipelines safe. The first multi-role survey ship for seabed warfare will be purchased by the end of this year, fitted out here in the UK and in operation before the end of next year. The second ship will be built in the UK and we will plan to make sure it covers all our vulnerabilities.”

The Ministry of Defence said last year that the ship (only one was planned at the time, remember), which will come into service by 2024, will be a surface vessel with a crew of around 15 people. The crew will conduct research to help the Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence protect undersea critical national infrastructure.

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