Aboard a vast Royal Navy warship docked in Portsmouth , two officers twiddle PlayStation controllers.

Live images from a small, uncrewed boat cruising in the sea waters over 100 miles away glare back at them from the screens in their control room.

At the flick of a toggle, the vessel responds, hitting the throttle and charging off in a simulated pursuit.

On this occasion, it’s a demonstration – but in recent months, these military boats have been on the frontline of Britain’s response to Russian hybrid warfare at sea.

And now, ministers want to go further. Today, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirms it will establish a new hybrid naval force comprised of warships, patrol aircraft, uncrewed boats and drones to protect critical undersea cables and pipelines from Russian President Vla

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