HMGCC Challenge for Underground Tunnelling Techniques (UK)

Underground tunneling presents an array of opportunities and challenges, so the MoD would like to know how technologies and capabilities in this area could be better harnessed for future operations. In particular, there is an interest in how to better access hostile and constrained subterranean environments.

There is a long history of industry, civil authorities and military using underground access to their advantage. The MoD is interested in using novel, automated methods to produce underground tunnels, opening new routes of access into otherwise difficult to reach locations. It is critical that any methods to produce these have a low probability of detection from adversaries.

Project Scope

• Proposals should consider the following requirements:
  • Low risk of detection e.g. low noise, little seismic activity, small and or concealable footprint and requires minimal number of people to operate.
  • A hole with a diameter of between 60 – 600 mm, proposals with diameters outside of this scope will be considered if potential can be shown to scale up the diameter in the future.
  • A scalable system, i.e. it could eventually (although not in initial demonstrators) tunnel across several hundreds of meters underground.
  • Consideration given to types of underground material to tunnel through, such as top soil, clay, rock, but not necessarily concrete.
  • Consideration given to how this could autonomously operate and navigate underground obstacles such as cabling and pipework, or with a plan to achieve this.
  • They are interested in the art of the possible.

Funding Information

• Budget: Up to £60,000.
• Project duration: 12 weeks.

Eligibility Criteria 

• This challenge is open to sole innovators, industry, academic and research organizations of all types and sizes. There is no requirement for security clearances.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Solution providers or direct collaboration from countries listed by the UK government under trade sanctions and or arms embargoes, are not eligible for HMGCC CoCreation challenges.

Selection Criteria

• All proposals, regardless of the application route, will be assessed by the HMGCC Co-Creation team. Proposals will be scored 1–5 on the following criteria:
  • Scope: Does the proposal fit within the challenge scope, taking into consideration cost and benefit?
  • Innovation: Is the technical solution credible, will it create new knowledge and IP, or use existing IP?
  • Deliverables: Will the proposal deliver a full or partial solution, if a partial solution, are there collaborations identified?
  • Timescale: Will the proposal deliver a minimum viable product within the project duration?
  • Budget: Are the project finances within the competition scope?
  • Team: Are the organization delivery team credible in this technical area?

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