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​Ukraine Get Undersea Minehunter Drones From UK to Clear Coastline

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Ukrainian Navy divers take part in classroom and practical training with Unmanned Underwater Vehicles / Photo credit: UK MoD
Ukrainian Navy divers take part in classroom and practical training with Unmanned Underwater Vehicles / Photo credit: UK MoD

Six underwater minehunter drones will be sent to the Ukraine from the UK, to help secure safe passage for vessels exporting food from the country. Three of these will be provided from UK stocks, with a further three to be purchased from industry

That’s according to a report issued by the British Government press service.

Dozens of Ukrainian personnel will be taught to use the autonomous minehunting vehicles by the Royal Navy and its U.S. partners over the coming months.

Read more: Armed Forces of Ukraine Can Get More Swedish Weaponry – What About CV90 IFV, JAS 39, Grkpbv 90 Mjolnir Mortar

The Royal Navy’s Diving & Threat Exploitation Group and the US Navy 6th Fleet have already begun three-week courses at sea with Ukrainian personnel, teaching them to operate the Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs).

During the three weeks, personnel are taught to interpret the data sent back by the lightweight UUVs to identify mock mines.

The lightweight autonomous vehicle is designed for use in shallow coastal environments, operating effectively at depths of up to 100m to detect, locate, and identify mines using an array of sensors so the Ukrainian Navy can destroy them.

Ukraine Get Undersea Minehunter Drones From UK to Clear Coastline, Defense Express
The underwater minehunter drones being sent to Ukraine / Photo credit: UK MoD

The commander of Ukraine's unit - who did not want to be named - told Sky News the drones "will be very useful for us to clear the sea area, especially in a very critical region close to Odesa".

He added: "Our primary mission is to detect these mines because it's very important not only for the military, but for civilian ships, for civilian trade."

As the situation stands, fully demining the coastline could take a decade, but for now, the focus is on returning to Ukraine with the skills to "immediately" begin operating the drones.

He added: "The whole nation, like one fist, we are strong."

Ukraine Get Undersea Minehunter Drones From UK to Clear Coastline, Defense Express
Dozens of Ukrainians will be trained to use the underwater drones, while separate courses for sailors to operate Sandown Class Minehunter vessels have already taken place

The interesting information emerged earlier, the United Kingdom will supply the Ukrainian Forces with Maloy T150 drones capable of delivering cargo, or weapons to the front line while the drone could be used to deliver lightweight UUVs.

T150 drone with REMUS 100 AUV on HMS Prince of Wales during trials, Defense Express
T150 drone with REMUS 100 AUV on HMS Prince of Wales during trials / Photo credit: Royal Navy

As Defense Express reported Ukraine’s Navy military sailors are trained by their U.K. Royal Navy counterparts in Scotland on Royal Navy minehunter while the British Army stays in touch with the needs of the Ukrainian Army, preparing the troops to counter russian military attempts.

Read more: Intelligences Say russian-Ukrainian War Going Through Turning Point While Russia in “Very Fragile” Position