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UK Underwater Drones Hunt Russian Submarines

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The UK Ministry of Defence announced a £90 million framework agreement with Ocean Infinity Solutions to provide the Royal Navy with a network of underwater drones, sensors and AI systems called Atlantic Net. It is the first phase of the Atlantic Bastion programme, designed to create a hybrid naval force that hunts Russian submarines and protects undersea cables and energy infrastructure in the North Atlantic.

Western officials have warned of increased Russian activity around subsea infrastructure. In April 2026 the UK said it deployed military vessels to deter Russian submarines that had spent more than a month in and around British waters. The new uncrewed systems will give earlier warning of submarine threats and reduce reliance on crewed ships alone.

The UK government announced a £90 million framework with Ocean Infinity Solutions to deliver drones, sensors and AI systems for the Royal Navy to counter Russian undersea threats and protect cables in the North Atlantic.

Reuters reports that Prince Harry accused social media companies of failing to protect children and called for tougher regulation; the accusation itself is his opinion. This is an interview excerpt; Hasan Piker's explanation for Republican midterm losses is personal analysis, not a checkable fact. NAMES: Hasan Piker (@hasanthehun) = political commentator and Twitch streamer; Fox News = US cable news channel.

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Reuters reports that Prince Harry accused social media companies of failing to protect children and called for tougher regulation; the accusation itself is his opinion. This is an interview excerpt; Hasan Piker's explanation for Republican midterm losses is personal analysis, not a checkable fact. NAMES: Hasan Piker (@hasanthehun) = political commentator and Twitch streamer; Fox News = US cable news channel.

Britain’s Prince Harry accuses social media companies of failing to protect children and says they can no longer be trusted to address online harms without tougher regulation https://t.co/mJ4JfhTBP3

Original post · @Reuters

Reuters POST 2120207357481304072: NOCLAIM

Sources

What the hosts said

BReuters posted on X that Britain is putting ninety million pounds into underwater drones and sensors to hunt Russian submarines and protect undersea cables.
BUnderwater drones as a proper navy programme, not a concept. That's a shift.
BThe UK Ministry of Defence calls the network Atlantic Net. Uncrewed systems, sensors, AI, watching the seabed.
BWatching is good. But a Russian ship can still cut a cable and call it an accident.
BThat's exactly what this is meant to stop. These systems give earlier warning so the Royal Navy can react before it's too late.
BSo it's less about killing submarines, more about making them feel watched.
BRight. Deterrence by exposure. If they know we can see them, they think twice.
BNinety million pounds doesn't sound like a lot for a navy. What does it actually buy?
BIt's the first phase of a programme called Atlantic Bastion. The framework is with Ocean Infinity Solutions, a maritime tech company in Hampshire.
BSo this is a real industrial project, not a paper exercise. The defence minister says it supports almost two hundred skilled jobs.
BAnd it moves the Royal Navy toward a hybrid force, crewed ships plus uncrewed systems.
BThe deeper history matters. After the Cold War, navies shrank.
BRussia rebuilt its submarine force. Now NATO is trying to catch up.
BWestern officials have warned about Russian activity around subsea infrastructure for a while now.
BThe seabed is the soft underbelly. It isn't defended by destroyers.
BExactly. Cut one cable and half the financial system stutters.
BNo missiles needed.
BMy worry is that drones can be jammed. Do we build a network that's blind in a real fight?
BNo, the point is not to replace ships. It's to give ships better eyes.
BA distributed network is harder to blind than one ship's sonar.
BElectronic warfare is not static. But a single ship's sonar is a single point of failure.
BReports say British warships have been shadowing Russian submarines in and around UK waters.
BHow long for? That's not a patrol, that's a statement.
BIt's a place to be seen. They want to map the seabed, test response times, maybe sow uncertainty.
BAnd Reuters says this is part of NATO allies' broader effort to watch cables and pipelines.
BThe boring infrastructure is the battlefield. Everyone talks about missiles.
BLose the wrong cable and the world stops.
BMy take: this is an unglamorous investment, but probably the kind that matters more than a parade.
BIt's the Navy buying what it actually needs.
BStaying in Britain, but a very different fight. Reuters posted on X that Prince Harry says social media companies are failing to protect children and can't be trusted to fix it without tougher regulation.
BA royal telling us we need more government rules. I'm stunned.
BIs he wrong, though? The platforms have had years to self-police, and the harm keeps showing up.
BThe harm is real. But every new rule gets captured by giant companies that can afford compliance.
BSo smaller platforms get squeezed. That's not a reason to do nothing.
BNo, go after actual harm. Target enforcement, not a blanket regulation that gives bureaucrats a veto over speech.
BHe's not talking about speech. He's talking about children seeing content no parent would ever choose.
BParents have tools. The platforms hide them.
BFine, force transparency. But I think you're attacking the messenger because he's a prince, not the actual principle.
BMaybe. But I don't think "we can't trust the companies" automatically means "therefore the government should run it."
BHe said tougher regulation, not government running it. There's a difference between a safety code and state control.
BThere is. But the line never stays where it's drawn.
BStart with children, end with everyone's feeds.
BOr start with children and stop there, because that's what the law can actually target.
BFine. I'll concede the man has a point about negligence.
BI just want to see the rules before I cheer for them.
BThat's fair. The problem is real.
BThe prescription is where the fight will be.
BAnd the platforms know that. They'll lobby to blur the line.
BThat's not a reason to do nothing. It's a reason to write the law carefully.
BCareful and tech regulation? I'll believe it when I see it.

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