Britain has carried out a heavy torpedo launch from an unmanned underwater vehicle, with the test taking place in British waters, according to the i Paper. The weapon was fired from the 12-meter Excalibur underwater drone.
The torpedo, developed jointly by the United States and Australia, is designed to strike surface vessels and submarines operating at great depth. Britain and the United States conducted the trial as part of the trilateral AUKUS defense partnership with Australia.
The i Paper said the test marked the first time the British and US sides had launched a torpedo from an unmanned underwater platform rather than a crewed submarine.
AUKUS has brought Australia, Britain and the United States together in a security partnership since 2021. One of its key programs involves creating a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines for Australia. The three countries are also developing advanced military technologies and expanding defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
Earlier, the British military tested another long-range weapon on the Hebrides that is intended for delivery to Ukraine. The Nightfall precision ballistic missile has a range of about 500 kilometers. After the preliminary trials on the Hebrides, further testing was planned in Britain.