Navy News
Direct from the front-line, the official newspaper of the Royal Navy, Navy News, brings you the latest news, features and award winning photos every month.
New Royal Navy technology office to bring cutting-edge innovation to operations
.jpg?h=1125&iar=0&w=1500&rev=aab644d5f7b948088969ba1a9613ce63&hash=39080646F13A45282E898E4F3DE86FF5)
29 April 2025
The Royal Navy’s experts in bringing cutting-edge innovation to the front line have formed a new team to ensure the latest technological advances are available for operations.
The new Disruptive Capabilities and Technologies Office (DCTO) unites the knowledge and skills of innovation specialists from NavyX; the Office of the Chief Technology Officer; and the Navy AI Cell.
Together, the unit will rapidly prototype, test and deploy advanced technologies to support operations at sea and will address the navy’s more pressing operational challenges.
Different to how the teams worked in the past, the DCTO will have an entrepreneurial mindset to ensure they drive groundbreaking innovation forward and will support its people to be successful while building on previous work around autonomy, AI and other emerging technologies.
Their first prototype project is already in progress and drew on lessons from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and applying them to mitigate operational risks to the Royal Navy.
It has seen the delivery of new autonomous systems but also training and framework for the adoption of other autonomous equipment to the front line.
For the project, the team has worked closely with regulators, policymakers, planners and Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel to ensure a seamless transition from concept to deployment.
Under the formation of the new team, the DCTO will also continue to use experimentation ship XV Patrick Blackett as both a testbed for established systems and a floating laboratory for newer technologies.
There will also be a sea-going element known as the Fleet Experimental Squadron, nested within the Surface Flotilla but part of the Develop Directorate.
The squadron will experiment, iterate and scale future autonomous vessels and is a throwback to the Royal Navy of the Victorian era when experimental squadrons were used to test and trial cutting-edge technology of the time.
It will be commanded by a Principal Warfare Officer of Commander rank and will be charged with understanding and pushing shifts in technology from AI-enabled ship operating systems to laser-directed weapons and operating uncrewed surface vessels.
Rear Admiral James Parkin, the Royal Navy’s Director Develop, said: “I am thrilled that the new Disruptive Capabilities and Technologies Office has now achieved Full Operating Capability, including the exciting news of the commissioning of the new Fleet Experimental Squadron.
“This innovation will ensure that the Royal Navy will be better positioned to work with other areas in Defence, and our allies and partners, to learn the lessons from modern conflict, and ensure we introduce cutting edge capabilities into the front line at the speed of relevance.
“In this way the Royal Navy will harness the best of today’s technology in order to disrupt faster than our adversaries and remain ready to fight and win on day one of any future conflict.”
Looking further into the future for the latest technologies, the DCTO will also explore emerging technologies such as quantum and next-generation nuclear and artificial intelligence.
Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Sir Martin Connell, said: “The imperative for the rapid adoption of advanced and novel technologies by the Royal Navy and wider Defence is clear.
“We need to procure faster, cut unnecessary bureaucracy and process, and iterate quicker through spiral development, much as we have done through our support to Ukraine. The establishment of the DCTO reinforces the Royal Navy’s commitment in this respect.”