The British specialist James Fisher Defence (JFD) is celebrating, on the occasion of SOF Week 2026 in Tampa, Florida, the world premiere of its next-generation Stealth Multi-Role (SMR) rebreather in serial configuration, which has now reached another milestone with the receipt of CE (Conformité Européenne) certification. Since the system was unveiled in 2025, according to the manufacturer, extensive development work and operational testing have been conducted to validate the system’s performance under a wide range of diving conditions. The device is now ready for market introduction.
The SMR was developed incorporating feedback from military personnel worldwide across various armed forces, and is designed to meet the evolving requirements of military diving as well as long-duration missions, according to the manufacturer.
Building on decades of expertise in life-support systems, JFD continues to drive the ongoing development of the SMR to support future military diving capabilities and operational safety.
Rebreather for long and complex missions
As military diving operations are increasingly complex, armed forces are seeking life-support systems that can ensure long-duration missions, increased operational flexibility, and a high level of reliability in challenging underwater environments. According to JFD, the SMR was developed in close collaboration with operational users from armed forces worldwide and designed precisely to meet these evolving requirements—placing the divers’ safety, user-friendliness, and operational reliability at the highest priority.
Thanks to its compact and ergonomically optimized design, the SMR is conceived to optimally support mobility and handling even during long-duration missions. This enables divers to fully focus on their mission—in the knowledge that their equipment remains fully functional at all times. The system’s modular, multifunctional configuration allows users to adapt the device flexibly to a wide range of operating profiles and to maintain consistently high performance even in operational environments that demand zero tolerance for errors.
JFD leverages decades of expertise
Peter Laughton, head of “Defence Diving – Military Products” at JFD, explained: “Modern military diving missions are placing ever-higher demands on life-support systems—particularly in long or complex missions where reliability and adaptability are crucial. Through the continuous development of the Stealth Multi-Role, JFD leverages its decades-long operational expertise in life-support systems to meet the evolving needs of military diving communities.”
Richard Devlin, Managing Director of James Fisher Defence, added: “Building on more than four decades of solid experience in life-support systems, the Stealth Multi-Role system draws on JFD’s unique insights gained from supporting diving missions in the defense sector worldwide—based on the sale of thousands of systems to armed forces around the globe, often including integrated support services that ensure full readiness. After the CE certification of Stealth Multi-Role, we look forward to continuing the dialogue with users and demonstrating the system’s performance in light of future requirements for military diving.”
JFD brings extensive experience as well as specialized technical competencies to maritime and defense-related operations worldwide. Through the ongoing development of the life-support system SMR, the company reinforces its commitment to safety, operational reliability, and the continual advancement of military diving capabilities.
