UNCREWED SURFACE VESSEL OPERATIONS TRIALS AND TRAINING 1 MARCH – 31 DECEMBER 2026

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the King’s Harbour Master that Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) operations will be conducted within the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth. The craft will be launched from HMS Warrior Slipway or HM Naval Base Portsmouth 2 Basin and will operate in the vicinity of Portsmouth Harbour, Sandown Bay and Ryde Middle during the period 1 March to 31 December 2026.

2. The USV operations will include both trials and training evolutions, by day and night, with a safety vessel in attendance throughout. The USVs will display on AIS with callsigns “RATTLER 1” through to… “RATTLER 7”, or “KSXXX”. The USVs will be accompanied by either a Royal Navy PAC-24 RHIB “BEEHIVE SEABOAT”, Royal Navy Vahana workboat “WALRUS” or “SWB02” or a Royal Navy P2000 as a safety vessel. The crew embarked on the safety vessel will intervene in the event of any safety issues.

3. The USVs will be remotely controlled from a Remote Operating Centre (ROC) and will comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea throughout. Where possible, the USVs will maintain a minimum 200m separation from other craft, and trials will be modified or aborted if a close-quarters situation is developing.

4. The assigned safety vessels and ROC will maintain a listening watch on VHF Ch 11, 12 and 16.

5. All trials vessels will obey the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Order 2005.

6. Cancel this LNTM on 31 December 2026.