AbstractIn this paper, the new fixed Langmuir probe systems developed for the Mark I pumped divertor phase of JET are described along with the plans for the new Mark II divertor probe systems. The system installed in Mark I consisted of 22 limiter probes plus 149 divertor probe tips configurable as 149 single Langmuir probes or as 39 triple probes plus 32 single probes. A VME based data acquisition system was developed which acquired data from all probes simultaneously at a rate of 5KHz (342 channels). The concept of the “hands‐off” intelligent probe system and its realisation are described. In contrast to previous probe designs, after one year of operation, the pyrolitic graphite probe tips showed very little sign of erosion. Possible reasons for this important advance are presented. Plans for a “pop‐up” probe system in the new Mark II divertor are outlined which will be used to expose less robust pin‐plate probes to the plasma which would not survive permanent exposure. It is hoped that pin‐plate probes will allow the elimination of the effects of plasma resistivity from the interpretation of single probe