Submarines are the piece that is not seen from the board, but conditions each play. Their ability to operate stealthily and prolonged underwater allows them They protect strategic areas without being detected. Its single possibility forces any adversary to dedicate constant resources to anti -submarine defensesensors and patrols, increasing each movement. That hidden presence, more than spectacular, changes the calculation: who does not have them can fear them, and who has them can force the rival to cover themselves without certainty that they are there.
That game is changing with the arrival of autonomous submarines. These platforms, designed to operate without crew, expand the scope of the most delicate missions by eliminating human risks and reduce logistics costs. Its development opens the door to prolonged and silent operations, with the ability to cover more territory and assume too dangerous tasks for manned vessels. In this context, Bae Systems has opted strong with “Herne”a large autonomous submarine vehicle that seeks to reinforce the control of the underwater space and respond to threats that grow under the surface.
Bae Systems’s bet for autonomous and long -range submarine operations
The British Bae Systems and Canadian Cellula Robotics signed in September an exclusive 10 -year agreement to develop and bring to the market the autonomous submarine Herne. According to Reutersthe British manufacturer hopes to have a product ready for the market at the end of 2026after tests carried out in 2024 in the United Kingdom and Canada. During these tests, the prototype completed a preprogrammed mission of intelligence, surveillance and recognition using Nautomate, the BAE autonomous control system. The company emphasizes that the project has passed “from the board to water” in just 11 months, which reflects the development rate.
Herne is an extragranden autonomous submarine vehicle (Xlauv) conceived to offer flexibility and modularity. According to BAEits design allows integrating different useful loads, incorporating additional helmet sections and facilitating maintenance. It can be launched from ports, ships or even submarines, and is built with materials and technologies that reduce its acoustic signature. The platform includes tested navigation systems, safe communications and quick configuration options. And as The Register points outit can reach depths of up to 5,000 meters, travel about 5,000 kilometers and operate up to 45 days in a row, all with a size that fits in a standard 40 feet container.
BAE raises Herne as a tool capable of covering a wide range of naval operations. These include intelligence and recognition missions, anti -submarine war and critical infrastructure protection in the seabed. The manufacturer emphasizes that its autonomous operation will allow to maintain persistent presence in areas of interest and collaborate with manned platforms to expand the scope of fleets. This approach is aligned with the strategic role of submarines in deterrence and with the potential of unmanned systems to expand capacities without exposing human crews.
The calendar is ambitious: BAE expects Herne to be commercially available in 2026 and has estimated that she could manufacture between 10 and 20 units in 2027. In addition, she works with the aforementioned Cellula Robotics to boost Herne with hydrogen -based energy. During the tests, however, the vehicle has worked with batteries.
Herne is not the only ship of her kind. The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense works in Excalibur, eithertro Autonomous submarine similar size for conceptual tests. Meanwhile, Royal Navy has reinforced its anti -submarine abilities with improvements to sound. Herne’s operational deployment will depend on future tests and her integration into this increasingly technological ecosystem. In any case, it seems that we will soon see more vehicles of this type patrolling the depths of the ocean.
Images | BAE Systems
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