Ralph Dodds

Ralph is a former Royal Navy above-water warfare officer/Lynx helicopter observer with over 30 years’ experience. He commanded the Type 42 Destroyer HMS Glasgow in 1997/98, saw combat in the Falklands, Persian Gulf and Former Yugoslavia and holds an MSc in Technology (Maritime Operations). Since retiring from the Royal Navy in 2013, he has worked in the defense industry, joining Atlas Elektronik UK Ltd in September 2015, where he has led the innovation and autonomous system research program for the past two-and-a-half years.

---

Presentation

From research to operational capability: a maritime autonomy success story

Unmanned surface vessels have progressed a long way in the past 20 years, and now offer a credible alternative to manned vessels in the delivery of operational capability. This presentation will show how low-TRL research, to meet a Gulf War 2 urgent operational requirement, developed into day-to-day reality for Royal Navy mine countermeasures. It will outline the progression of sense-and-avoid technologies, situational awareness and adherence to the Collision Regulations to provide operators with the confidence and capability they need.