UK Demonstrates First Autonomous Extra Large Submarine

A team of British engineers has successfully demonstrated a new type of autonomous submarine, developed specifically for military use, off the south coast of England. 

The vessel — Herne — is known as an extra large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLAUV) and has been configured by BAE Systems to enable militaries to monitor and help protect underwater infrastructure across the vast expanses of the seabed. 

The XLAUV is also designed to support anti-submarine warfare and provide another means for militaries to undertake covert surveillance missions. 

The trials earlier this month saw the craft conduct a pre-programmed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) mission, powered by Nautomate, the Company’s platform agnostic high specification autonomous military control system. This follows successful trials of the technology on a surface vessel earlier this year.

Able to be fitted to existing or new build vessels, Nautomate gives users a cost effective option to boost their autonomous capabilities, allowing them to operate with greater scale, endurance and persistence, whilst removing the need for human crews to operate in arduous or dangerous conditions. This can free up skilled personnel to focus on the tasks where people add most value.  

An added benefit of underwater autonomy is that, without the need to resupply or carry life support systems, Herne will be able to patrol the sub surface domain for far longer than a crewed alternative. It can also be upgraded as new technology or ways of working evolve by using open architecture mission plug-ins.  

BAE Systems collaborated with Canadian company Cellula Robotics to deliver the demonstrator configuration of Herne XLAUV. This successful collaboration resulted in a “whiteboard to water” capability in just 11 months, demonstrating the pace at which BAE Systems can deliver Herne and other autonomous maritime capabilities. 

Now that the technology has been successfully demonstrated, the BAE Systems team will continue to refine Herne with further trials, depending on customer requirements.

Scott Jamieson, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Maritime Services business, commented, “Herne is a game changer in the underwater battlespace. It will give our customers a cost effective autonomous capability that will allow for a wide range of missions, end the reliance on crewed platforms, keeping people out of harm’s way and boosting endurance.”