The UK Royal Navy has accepted delivery of the first autonomous minesweeper system. The system has been designed and manufactured by Atlas Elektronik UK under a $17,6 million contract.

The sweeper system, which features a “sense and avoid” capability, could work together with other similar autonomous systems. The system has been put through trials for the last four months by the Royal Navy’s Maritime Autonomous Systems Trials Team (MASTT) during which it was tested against a number of performance requirements. The system will now undergo a series of more detailed trials with the navy.