Ocean Infinity in frame as UK's Atlantic Net mission partner

Ocean Infinity's Armada 86-06 remotely-controllable vessel took part in Royal Navy Atlantic Net trials in the early 2026. (Ocean Infinity)

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has downselected a consortium led by marine data services and offshore survey group Ocean Infinity as preferred commercial mission partner to deliver the Atlantic Net undersea intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) service, Janes has learned.

Forming the initial component of the Royal Navy's (RN's) broader Atlantic Bastion initiative, Atlantic Net is intended to provide anti-submarine warfare (ASW) surveillance in the Greenland-Iceland-UK (GIUK) gap region through a contractor-owned, contractor-operated naval oversight (COCONO) delivery model. The Ocean Infinity-led team was one of five consortia previously shortlisted out of 26 industry-proposed solutions initially assessed.

In a 27 August ‘Defence Talks' interview broadcast by the Council on Geostrategy, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff General Sir Gwyn Jenkins confirmed that Atlantic Net was now moving towards a contract award. “We've downselected to a preferred consortia,” he said. “We should be on contract later this year [2026], and we should see the first sensors in the water by the end of the year.”

“I am super-energised by the progress we've made on that.”

The MoD has thus far declined to identify the preferred consortium. However, industry sources have told Janes that Ocean Infinity is now in final negotiations with the MoD to take on the commercial mission partner role.