The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir George Zambellas, will today visit the Centre for Maritime Intelligent Systems (CMIS). At the cutting edge of technology, the centre was opened in November last year and is dedicated to enabling UK industry collaboration focussed on the exploitation of unmanned boats, underwater vehicles and aircraft in the maritime domain.
Based in QinetiQ Portsdown Technology Park, Portsmouth, the facility brings together specialist teams including, academics, scientists, engineers and naval experts. With funding from Government, Industry and the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership, the dedicated research centre is designed to build upon the UK’s leading expertise in next-generation maritime intelligent systems, delivering a broad range of solutions such as mine counter measures and long-duration intelligence gathering. It’s a market that could be worth an estimated £9 billion-a-year for the UK economy.
The First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sir George Zambellas, said:
“I am delighted to visit the CMIS. The Royal Navy is pursuing a powerful instinct to exploit maritime autonomous systems, and we have been working with the Defence Growth Partnership for over a year now, in support of the Prime Minister’s initiative to deliver an innovative, competitive and vibrant Defence sector. This Centre of Excellence will help to transform not just how we deliver maritime security, but also help invigorate the global market for this new, leading-edge and game-changing technology.”
The CMIS centre is supported by the Defence Growth Partnership (DGP) – a joint initiative between Government and Industry to strengthen and grow the UK’s defence sector.
Victor Chavez CBE, chief executive of Thales UK and sponsor of the Intelligent Systems group within the Defence Growth Partnership said:
“We are delighted to host the First Sea Lord at the centre, which is already making significant progress in exploring the potential impact of cutting-edge technologies on maritime operations. When fully operational, the CMIS will help deliver a paradigm shift in these capabilities both for the UK MOD and our global customers.
“We’re incredibly proud of the facility and the collaborative effort of industry and government that went into making it a reality. We will continue to support its development in order to provide a platform for the UK to shape new markets and become a global leader in this domain.”
