UK Deploys High-Speed Stealth Boat to TackleChannel Migrant Crisis

The UK's Border Force has deployed a high-speed stealth boat, Neptune, capable of reaching 70mph on open water, to tackle the ongoing Channel migrant crisis. Neptune is a jet-driven speedboat that can launch drones to provide aerial surveillance over the Channel, helping to track migrants and prosecute smugglers.

Why this matters: The deployment of advanced technology like Neptune highlights the escalating efforts to address the Channel migrant crisis, which has significant implications for European border security and humanitarian concerns. As the crisis continues to grow, innovative solutions like Neptune may set a precedent for futureborder control strategies.

Neptune carries a pilot, navigator, drone operator, and a Border Force officer. It is equipped with airborne cameras to identify and help prosecute smuggler pilots. The high-speed vessel is part of a new rapid-response squadron designed to safeguard migrant lives at sea and prevent them from reaching shore before being intercepted.

The deployment of Neptune comes as record numbers of migrants are crossing the Channel. On a single day, 711 small boat migrants reached the UK, the highest number so far in 2024. The total number of migrants crossing the Channel this year stands at 8,278, a 34% increase from the same point last year.

While the cost of the new squadron is unknown, it is dwarfed by the £480 million agreement with France over three years to increase surveillance and intelligence-sharing. An additional £36 million is being spent over three years to pay for a fleet of five privately owned catamarans to transport migrants from their dinghies to shore.

The Border Force employs various other surveillance measures to monitor the Channel, including three fixed-wing aircraft for round-the-clock surveillance, two high-tech drones like the Tekever AR5 fixed-wing drone capable of cruising at 60mph, and a high-powered telescopic camera with thermal imagers posted on the coast at Dover to spot migrant boats.

Two years ago, the Border Force trialled an unmanned drone boat with a top speed of 40mph. The Home Office has also contemplated wave machines to push back migrant boats and geo-fencing to block their passage, but both were rejected as impractical and potentially dangerous.

The deployment of the high-speed stealth boat Neptune and the rapid-response squadron marks a significant step in the UK's efforts to address the Channel migrant crisis. As the number of migrants crossing the Channel continues to rise, the Border Force is employing advanced technology and increased surveillance measures to safeguard lives andprosecute smugglers.

Key Takeaways

• UK's Border Force deploys high-speed stealth boat Neptune to tackle Channel migrant crisis.
• Neptune can reach 70mph, launch drones, and track migrants and smugglers.
• Record 711 migrants crossed the Channel in a single day, a 34% increase from last year.
• UK invests £480m in surveillance and intelligence-sharing with France over 3 years.
• Border Force employs various surveillance measures, including drones, aircraft, and cameras.