Alert! US and UK Launch Lethal Torpedoes via Sea Drones
The United Kingdom and the United States (US) have made new military history by successfully launching torpedoes from an unmanned underwater vehicle (drone) for the first time, a manoeuvre intended to augment the role of traditional manned submarines.
Quoting the Hindustan Times on Tuesday (22/09/2026), the London government confirmed in an official statement that the direct launch took place in British waters last week as part of the AUKUS military alliance alongside Australia. The British government stated that this weapons test marks a significant advancement in the future of submarine technology for the three allied nations.
“This provides a significant breakthrough for Euro-Atlantic security and NATO’s undersea superiority,” the statement asserted.
Western nations are currently racing to modernise their combat capabilities with autonomous systems to face real threats from Russia and Iran. The heavy-class torpedoes, developed jointly by the US and Australia, were launched from a 12-metre British-made underwater drone named Excalibur.
Sidharth Kaushal, a senior researcher at the RUSI think-tank, noted that this development in weaponry is highly noteworthy. “The use of lethal payloads demonstrates that unmanned systems can play a role that extends far beyond mere surveillance,” Ka0f3ushal explained.
The announcement of this cutting-edge military breakthrough coincides with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s trip to New York to attend the UN General Assembly. During this summit, Burnham is scheduled to hold his first face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump since officially assuming leadership of the UK last July.
The British government has ensured that Burnham will utilise his visit to New York to promote massive global cooperation in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He is scheduled to announce new AI and autonomy partnerships with the US, specifically designed to assist the UK in protecting its critical national infrastructure, ranging from waterways to airspace.
“This week, I will present the argument for closer international cooperation regarding AI, a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, and new efforts to end the conflict in the Middle East, because what happens abroad impacts us all at home,” Burnham stated.
In closing, he also confirmed that the United Kingdom is preparing to host the G20 Summit in November 2027, which will be held grandly in the North-West English city of Manchester.