BAE Systems has successfully demonstrated “Herne,” an extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLAUV) designed for military purposes.
The vessel was designed to monitor and protect underwater infrastructure, support anti-submarine warfare, and undertake covert surveillance missions.
It is powered by Nautomate, the company’s high-specification, autonomous military control system for naval surface and subsurface vehicles.
BAE partnered with Canadian company Cellula Robotics to provide the Herne XLAUV’s demonstrator configuration, enabling the process of the initial concept to actual deployment and testing within 11 months.
“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,” said Scott Jamieson, the company’s Managing Director for Maritime Services.
After the demonstration, the XLAUV will undergo further trials based on customer requirements.
Autonomous Control System
The British defense manufacturer tested its Nautomate technology on the Herne submarine after successful trials on a surface vessel earlier this year.
Nautomate can be integrated into both new and existing platforms to enable autonomous capabilities, which can be useful on dangerous missions.
Additionally, it is vessel-agnostic and features an open architecture compatible with vessels measuring 6 meters (20 feet) to 50 meters (164 feet) long.
The tech can be operated on a range of missions, such as intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance, as well as maritime security and anti-submarine warfare.
As such, it allows various payload integrations, including remotely operated weapon systems, non-lethal vessel arrest systems, 360-degree panoramic and pan-tilt surveillance cameras, and signal intelligence units for enhanced operational capabilities.