UK underwater drone launches torpedo for first time

The United Kingdom has launched a heavy torpedo from an unmanned underwater vehicle for the first time, The i Paper reports.

According to the newspaper, the launch was carried out last week from the 12th Excalibur underwater vehicle.

British media previously reported that the approximately 19-tonne unmanned vehicle can travel up to 1,000 nautical miles and remain underwater autonomously for up to five days. It was built in Plymouth.

The torpedo, whose specifications have not been disclosed, was developed by the United States and Australia and is designed to destroy ships and submarines.

The test launch was conducted by the UK and the US. It marked the first time either of the two countries had launched a torpedo from an unmanned underwater vehicle rather than from a crewed submarine.

By Jeyhun Aghazada