The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the Royal Navy will deploy its first fully autonomous, AI-powered patrol submarine by early 2028, a significant leap in Britain's underwater surveillance capabilities.

The vessel, named 'HMS Sentinel,' is designed to operate for months at a time without a human crew, patrolling critical undersea infrastructure such as data cables and energy pipelines in the North Sea.

"The future of maritime security is autonomous," said the First Sea Lord. "HMS Sentinel will provide a persistent, invisible shield for the infrastructure that keeps Britain connected and powered."