Helsing moved into the 18,000 square feet facility only weeks ago and has already started production and sea testing from Turnchapel Wharf and the British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre in Scotland. The company is also building a high tech research hub on site that will form its Maritime Centre of Excellence.
The opening will create highly skilled roles in the South West as the factory scales to meet future demand for maritime systems. Initial work focuses on the SG-1 Fathom, an autonomous underwater glider developed in Britain to enhance European and allied defence.
The SG-1 Fathom is integrated in Plymouth with Helsing’s Maritime AI platform, Lura, allowing fleets of gliders to provide continuous underwater surveillance that can detect hostile activity. The factory supports Helsing’s commitment to sovereign UK manufacturing and follows successful trials of the SG-1 in the Western Approaches, Scotland and Western Australia.
The factory plan was announced by the Chancellor in July 2025 as part of Helsing’s £350 million commitment to the UK under the 2024 Trinity House agreement. From today the site will produce and maintain the SG-1 Fathom and act as the global centre for maritime research and development within the company.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “For too long our proud industrial heartlands like Plymouth saw jobs go away and not come back. We are changing that. In this new era of threat, the defence dividend from our record investment is measured in good jobs, thriving businesses, new skills for the British people. “That is exactly what we’re seeing in Plymouth with Helsing’s cuttingedge new factory showing the benefits of our defence growth deals which are backed by £250 million investment, and the city’s leading maritime autonomous industry. “We are making defence an engine for growth to deliver national and economic security.”
Ned Baker, Managing Director of Helsing UK, said: “From Plymouth we’ll be manufacturing the autonomous systems that keep our sailors, ships and infrastructure safe. The SG-1 Fathom shows how world-class engineering and AI can combine to deliver capability at scale – enhancing national resilience, building skills, and supporting our allies.”
The opening strengthens Helsing’s links with national government, Plymouth’s community, the University of Plymouth and Plymouth City Council under the Team Plymouth partnership. The investment is expected to generate local jobs, bolster supply chains and reinforce the UK’s maritime autonomy sector.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP said: “Helsing’s investment in Plymouth shows confidence in Britain’s world-class engineering, talent and leadership in defence technology. By investing in advanced manufacturing and research in the South West, Helsing is creating high-skilled jobs, strengthening our national security, and driving growth in communities that have long been at the heart of our maritime story. “As I set out in the Spring Statement, at least 10% of MOD’s equipment procurement spending will go to novel technologies like these. This is part of our Defence Plan to build a Britain that works for working people, creating good jobs, supporting innovation, and spreading investment nationwide.”
Amelia Gould, General Manager of Maritime Helsing, added: “There’s no better place than Plymouth to lead in maritime autonomy. With deep water, strong local supply chains and exceptional talent, we’re proud to call this city home.”
