BAE Systems has successfully demonstrated “Herne,” an extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLAUV) built for military applications. This vessel is designed for a range of missions, including monitoring and protecting underwater infrastructure, supporting anti-submarine warfare, and conducting covert surveillance. Powering Herne is Nautomate, BAE Systems’ high-specification autonomous military control system, designed for both naval surface and subsurface vehicles. For the demonstrator configuration of the Herne XLAUV, BAE Systems collaborated with Canadian company Cellula Robotics, enabling the rapid progression from initial concept to actual deployment and testing within just 11 months.
