QinetiQ Expands Underwater Signature Testing Facility

Maritime June 1, 2026

QinetiQ has significantly expanded its magnetic signature testing capability at MOD Portland Bill, installing a new large-format water tank that enables uncrewed underwater vessels (UUVs) to be tested, certified and degaussed ahead of operational deployment – a move that directly supports the Royal Navy’s Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) programme and opens new access routes for industry developers.

The new tank – six metres long, two metres wide and 1.5 metres deep – is purpose-sized to accommodate the larger UUVs now entering service as part of the UK’s minehunting fleet, complementing the facility’s existing medium and smaller tank infrastructure. Together, the expanded suite enables a broader range of military-grade products to progress through the test and certification pipeline as they are developed.

What the facility does – and why it matters

Magnetic signature management is a critical but often overlooked discipline in undersea warfare. Every vessel disturbs the earth’s magnetic field as it moves, creating a unique magnetic signature that bottom-laid mines use as a trigger to detonate. Measuring, understanding and minimising that signature is therefore a fundamental safety and survivability requirement before any asset can operate in mine-threat environments.

QinetiQ’s Magnetic Assessment Services team at Portland Bill has been delivering this capability for the Royal Navy for over a decade. The facility operates within a magnetically controlled area using a large coil system that can replicate any worldwide magnetic field – or reduce it to zero – making it one of the most capable test environments of its kind. The team certifies uncrewed vessels for safe operation across mine threat, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) environments.

The facility is managed by QinetiQ on behalf of the MOD under the Long Term Partnering Agreement (LTPA).

The supply chain opportunity: Innovation Gateway access

Critically for industry, QinetiQ is explicitly opening the facility to external developers through its Innovation Gateway – a direct invitation to firms building the next generation of unmanned underwater and surface vessels to access world-class test infrastructure without having to build it themselves.

Jim Graham, Managing Director Maritime and Land at QinetiQ, stated: “We are opening our doors via our Innovation Gateway to those firms that are developing new generations of unmanned underwater and surface vessels to be able to use it to test their capabilities and ensure global maritime security extends into the future.”

For SMEs and primes developing UUV, USV or related subsea technologies, this represents a credible route to test, certify and validate products against military-grade standards – a step that is increasingly essential for serious defence market entry.

Relevant capability areas for supply chain businesses:

Uncrewed underwater and surface vessel development
Magnetic signature reduction and degaussing technologies
Mine countermeasures (MCM) systems and components
Sensors, payloads and subsystems for UUV integration
EOD and UXO equipment and tooling
Through-life support for uncrewed maritime assets

The bigger picture

This investment sits within a rapidly expanding global priority around mine countermeasures, with the war in Ukraine having dramatically highlighted the threat posed by naval mines to maritime trade and military operations alike. The Royal Navy’s MHC programme is one of the UK’s most active uncrewed systems programmes, and Portland Bill is positioned as a central node in its development and certification pipeline.

Image: QinetiQ