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21 Jan 26. UMEX 2026: Al Seer Marine unveils Argos XL USV. United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based shipbuilder Al Seer Marine has unveiled Argos XL, a lengthened version of its 11.5 m Argos unmanned surface vehicle (USV), at the UMEX 2026 exhibition, held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 22 January.
The 13.7 m Argos XL has a beam of 3 m, draught of 600 mm, top speed of 45 kt, and range of 900 n miles at 26 kt. The Argos XL, as displayed at UMEX, can embark modular payloads including a bow-mounted remote weapon station (RWS) and rocket launcher aft of the USVʼs superstructure and main mast. A secondary mast with a satellite communications (satcom) terminal is mounted on the stern.
According to a brochure provided by Al Seer at UMEX, the Argos XL features a low radar cross-section and acoustic signature. The USV is also optimised for very-shallow and littoral water operations.
Speaking to Janes at UMEX, an Al Seer Marine representative said Argos XL features a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system. Al Seer Marineʼs brochure indicates that the new system, which also utilises twin waterjets, provides an 8–12% reduction in overall fuel consumption, produces lower emissions in harbours, and is intended to maximise range while maintaining high speeds. (Source: Janes)
21 Jan 26. Following on from the December announcement of its new Autonomous Robotics degree, the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) hosted an event today in conjunction with the British Army to provide more information about its groundbreaking MEng (Hons) Integrated Engineering (Autonomous Robotics) which will welcome its first students in September 2026. Attended by Al Carns MP, Minister for the Armed Forces, the event was hosted by NMITE’s James Newby, President and Chief Executive Officer, Jesse Norman, Chair, and Professor Alexandru (Alex) Stancu who is the Academic Lead for this degree with current NMITE students and their examples of real-world autonomous systems, drone technologies and robotics drones on display. Brigadier Mike Cornwell Head of Future Force Development, Army Command represented the Army and also present were Members of the Army’s Experimentation and Trials Group who are the types of soldiers who could also be potential students of this degree.
James Newby, President and Chief Executive Officer at NMITE said: “This degree reflects the scale of the opportunity in front of us – to equip the next generation of engineers with skills that matter now, and to quickly deliver positive impacts in terms of skills, defence and a security capability and regional growth. The fact that we expect many local young people to take on the degree and build their futures with us, is incredibly exciting.”
Talking about the progress that has been made since the December announcement, Professor Alexandru (Alex) Stancu, Academic Lead for this degree said: “The curriculum has been designed from the ground up to combine rigorous engineering fundamentals with hands-on experience in autonomous systems, ensuring students engage with the technologies and challenges facing the country today. I am incredibly excited to be involved and can’t wait to start working with students on this exciting project.” Also present was Ollie Holt who was one of the first NMITE graduates in Integrated Engineering, finishing his studies in 2024 and is now working at a Hereford-based drones company alongside representatives from companies such as Hereford-based Level Peaks, a great example of a defence and security partner and the kind of company with which students on the course would interact.
A spokesperson for Level Peaks said: “We have a long-standing relationship with NMITE and strongly believe in the value the university brings to the local area and the industries we operate within. Our partnership is built on meaningful collaboration – from investing in students through financial support, to sharing knowledge, expertise, and direct industry insight. As NMITE enters the next stage of its journey with the introduction of the MEng degrees in Autonomous Robotics, it clearly demonstrates the institute’s modern, forward-thinking, and industry-relevant academic approach. This development is particularly exciting and will prove invaluable to the industry, creating new opportunities for collaboration while significantly enhancing student futures.”
Built on NMITE’s pioneering, hands-on pedagogy, the new degree will lead to a Master’s in Engineering (MEng) in three years, rather than the normal four years in traditional universities, and will prepare students to be broadly trained, highly effective engineers with a specialised focus on drone technologies. The programme will place a strong emphasis on the dual-use potential of drone technologies. Just as many technologies originally developed for defence are now commonplace in civilian life, from GPS to the internet, NMITE’s Autonomous Robotics degree will equip graduates to drive innovation for civilian, commercial, and humanitarian applications as well as for defence.
People interested in joining the programme should get in touch to express an interest in applying for a place here: https://nmite.ac.uk/form/register-your-interest-in-autosy
20 Jan 26. DIMDEX 2026: Both M23’s C- and T-series mini-submarines operationally deployed. Italian submarine-maker M23 revealed details of two mini-submarine types at the DIMDEX 2026 show held in Doha from 19 to 22 January, adding that both types were in operational service. The design impetus for both the 22 m C-Series and 10.5 m T-Series mini-submarines came from special operations forces (SOF) possibilities, but also the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities such a platform offered, Romano Ricca, M23 chief sales officer, told Janes . They are also valuable for operations in shallow waters, or protecting critical undersea infrastructure (CUI), Ricca said, adding that the C-Series has replicated smaller versions of most of the capabilities of a full-sized submarine. The T-Series submarine has a maximum operating depth of 100 m, an underwater maximum speed of 7 kt, an underwater cruising speed of 4.5 kt, and a surface/submerged displacement of 17.25/18 tonnes. It has a beam of 1.95 m, a pressure hull diameter of 1.60 m, and a pressure hull length of 9.20 m. It has an overall height of 2.30 m, a main electric motor power of 18 kW, and an electric power capacity of 197 kW h. It has a range of 60 nm, with two crew (one pilot and one navigator), and can carry up to four divers. Up to four personnel can be in the lock-in/lock-out (LIO) chamber during operations, according to M23. (Source: Janes)
16 Jan 26. Royal Navy plans jet-powered autonomous carrier drone. The Ministry of Defence has confirmed the scope of Project Vanquish, a Royal Navy initiative exploring a carrier-capable autonomous fixed-wing aircraft, in response to a written parliamentary question. Asked by Ben Obese-Jecty MP (Conservative, Huntingdon), the question sought clarification on the full scope of Project Vanquish. In his reply, Minister of State for Defence Luke Pollard said the programme has been launched by the Royal Navy to seek proposals from industry for a technical demonstration of a Fixed-Wing, Short Take Off and Landing Autonomous Collaborative Platform. According to the Minister, Project Vanquish is intended to demonstrate a jet-powered aircraft capable of taking off and landing from a Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier without the use of catapults or arrestor gear. He added that the work will assess whether such an aircraft could deliver maritime mission sets in support of Carrier Strike operations.
“Project Vanquish has been launched by the Royal Navy to seek proposals from industry for a Technical Demonstration of a Fixed-Wing, Short Take Off and Landing, Autonomous Collaborative Platform. Vanquish will be a jet-powered aircraft able to take off and land from a Queen Elizabeth Class carrier without the need for catapults or arrestor gear. It will determine the ability of such an air vehicle to deliver maritime mission sets for Carrier Strike.”
The response aligns with details previously published by the Ministry of Defence through a preliminary market engagement notice issued under Project VANQUISH last year. That notice described the effort as a technical demonstration designed to inform future procurement decisions linked to the Royal Navy’s planned “Hybrid Air Wing”. The earlier market engagement set out a requirement for an autonomous, attritable Tier 2 fixed-wing platform able to operate from Queen Elizabeth-class carriers. The aircraft was described as jet turbine powered, capable of high subsonic speeds, and able to conduct launch and recovery without catapults or arrested recovery systems. It also specified that the platform must be capable of autonomous embarkation and operation at sea. The MOD indicated at the time that the system should carry a credible payload with sufficient endurance and provide an exploitation path for roles including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, strike missions and air-to-air refuelling. The notice also stated that the platform should complement the F-35B Lightning force as part of the Carrier Air Wing. The Project Vanquish engagement was framed explicitly as a demonstration rather than a formal procurement. The MOD said the work would be aligned with Maritime Aviation Transformation principles and would build on previous trials of autonomous collaborative platforms conducted from Queen Elizabeth-class carriers. The estimated value of the demonstration contract was given as £10m excluding VAT, with activity expected to run from April 2026 to December 2027. The MOD said the data generated would support potential future decisions on a carrier-capable autonomous aircraft in the early 2030s. (Source: News Now/https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/)
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EOS
Electro Optic Systems (EOS) is an Australian technology company with a global presence, delivering advanced solutions across defence and space. With operations in Australia, the United States, Europe, Singapore, the Middle East and New Zealand, EOS has been designing and manufacturing precision technologies for more than four decades.
In defence, EOS is a leader in remote weapon systems, with more than 2,500 delivered and proven in operational service with allied forces. The company designs, develops and manufactures highly accurate counter-drone solutions for force and asset protection. These include both kinetic and high energy laser options that defeat drone threats effectively and at a comparatively low cost per shot. In August 2025, EOS secured the world’s first export contract for a 100 kW-class high energy laser weapon, with delivery scheduled between 2025 and 2028.
In the space domain, EOS is internationally recognised for its expertise in space domain awareness and space control. Its ground-based optical systems track and characterise satellites and debris to support both defence and commercial operations worldwide. Through its New Zealand subsidiary, EOS also designs and manufactures precision optics for space and astronomy applications.
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