New Plymouth factory to defend the UK

It's capable of making unmanned AI gliders

A factory, capable of building AI-enabled submarine hunters, has opened in Plymouth.

It's operated by Europe's largest defence technology company Helsing, and is its first reslience factory in the UK.

The facility will build autonomous gliders to help allied navies hunt down enemy submarines.

Defence secretary John Healey opened the site on Wednesday, shortly after the government announced the Russian spy ship Yantar had been spotted near the UK coast for the second time this year.

Speaking about the opening, Mr Healey said: “For too long our proud industrial heartlands like Plymouth saw jobs go away and not come back. We are changing that.  In this new era of threat, the defence dividend from our record investment is measured in good jobs, thriving businesses, new skills for the British people.

“That is exactly what we're seeing in Plymouth with Helsing's cutting edge new factory showing the benefits of our defence growth deals which are backed by £250 million investment, and the city’s leading maritime autonomous industry.

“We are making defence an engine for growth to deliver national and economic security.” 

The site is located in the South West Devon parliamentary constituency.

Rebecca Smith, the MP for the area, said: "Plymouth and South West Devon has been home to significant marine autonomy investment for a number of years. Today’s factory opening by Helsing marks the next exciting chapter in this journey and cements the important role of all those smaller local communities in the innovation and delivery of the UK’s sovereign defence capability. I visited the site last week and was incredibly impressed by the facility and team.”