BAE to test cognitive capabilities of extra large autonomous underwater vehicle

The tests are scheduled for the latter half of 2024 and are slated to be held at a specialised facility situated along the southern coastline of England. The demonstrator project is hoped to spotlight the prowess of this new aquatic marvel, christened "Herne".

Having undergone a seven-year journey of development primarily in surface autonomy, the tests will aim to measure Herne's mettle in a real-world intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) scenario.

The XLAUV boasts an adaptable command structure and software architecture designed to be swiftly tailored for diverse operational missions.
This coincides with BAE's announcement on the strategic significance of the underwater domain, particularly in light of recent acts of sub-sea aggression. It emphasised the imperative to shield critical national infrastructure within this challenging environment.

Underwater cabling for instance, is an unassuming yet indispensable infrastructure on which global economies heavily rely. These intricate networks of submarine cables crisscross the oceans and allow international data transmission. Everything from financial transactions to digital communications, linking continents and connecting nations with Internet for remote and landlocked regions. Equally, the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline, responsible for transporting 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year, highlighted to many the security inefficiencies of such infrastructure, especially as tensions increase between Russia and the West following the war in Ukraine.

BAE therefore suggested that autonomous platforms like Herne could provide a pivotal role in addressing the complex and expansive underwater battlespace. These platforms could offer the advantage of monitoring vast areas without the constraints of a human crew, all while delivering a cost-effective solution.

Uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) and autonomous underwater vehicles (ASV) already see use in the commercial sector, with the oil and gas industry using ASVs them to map out details of the seafloor prior to constructing subsea infrastructure, and the Israeli military testing USVs for surveillance, reconnaissance and mine detecting. Yet ASVs are yet fully implemented for security purposes due to challenges with communication underwater. For instance, because there's no reliable GPS, AUVs rely on onboard sensors for navigation. Equally, direct control is harder at such depths. Therefore, operators have to put more control in AI systems to manage the operation.

Although no specific mention of any particular AI, BAE has highlighted some faculties of the vehicle. For instance, the versatility of the XLAUV's design potentially reaches a diameter of 2 meters, making it well-suited for a spectrum of operations, including anti-submarine warfare, ISR, and electronic warfare.
"My aim is to create a capability that is faster, more capable, more flexible, cheaper for customers to buy and provides navies with a way to protect critical national infrastructure," said Scott Jamieson, Managing Director Of Maritime Services.

Eric Jackson, president of Cellula Robotics, expressed enthusiasm about their collaboration with BAE Systems: "As we embark on this ground-breaking partnership with BAE Systems, we recognise the critical role autonomous platforms play in addressing the evolving challenges of the underwater domain. Recent sub-sea aggression incidents underscore the importance of safeguarding our underwater critical infrastructure.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with BAE Systems and look forward to the demonstration, setting the course for a future of enhanced underwater security and intelligence," Jackson concluded.