Gavin Tapsfield

I’m deputy team leader for the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) Autonomy Unit (AU) team, and lead Project CHARYBDIS (a capability delivery project focussed on autonomous Anti-Submarine Warfare). Our portfolio also includes Project CETUS, which is the UK’s first purpose built military Extra Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (XLAUV) providing a test-bed for future underwater systems and de-risking future autonomous operations as a representative platform. Prior to joining the unit I worked for 9 years in government and industry as a Systems Engineering consultant. During this time I worked on several dozen projects, in both defence and civil domains e.g. leading research into Maritime Autonomous technologies, engineering management of the BOXER armoured vehicle platform, assessing safety of aviation flare manufacturing, developing requirements for warship power system training simulators, and assuring the throughput of nuclear fuel recycling processes. I aim to leverage my broad experience to develop timely, proportionate solutions while appropriately challenging processes which stifle agility.