The government has announced £90 million of funding for drones and sensors to protect undersea cables and hunt Russian submarines.

The new framework with British company Ocean Infinity Solutions, is designed to strengthen the Royal Navy’s ability to protect crucial shipping routes and undersea infrastructure.

The new system, 'Atlantic Net' will equip the Navy with a new network of autonomous systems operating across the North Atlantic. These will include  advanced sensors, which will help detect Russian submarines and nefarious activity and uncrewed systems, which will be able to patrol the depths of the seas, hunting down threats.

Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP said: "The threats beneath the North Atlantic are changing, and we are changing with them. This investment gives the Royal Navy new technology to find threats earlier and protect our critical infrastructure, while also backing British business.

"It shows that we’re getting on with the job of investing in our Armed Forces and strengthening our deterrence under the sea, to support our ultimate, nuclear deterrent."