The French defense procurement agency (DGA) is to provide the French Navy with its first sovereign ultradeep-sea exploration and surveillance capability and has chosen Exail, a world leader in robotics, to supply a new AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) capable of operating at depths of up to 6,000 meters.
Ensuring control of the seabed, as set out in France 2030 investment plan, has become a major challenge for France’s defense, in particular to ensure the sovereignty and freedom of action of the country, and to protect its strategic and economic interests. It has three components: “to know”, “to monitor” and “to take action”. As part of the capability-building process set out in the Ministerial Strategy for Seabed Warfare adopted in 2022, the French Navy will be extending its investigation and intervention capabilities to a depth of 6,000 meters, through the acquisition of underwater drones (AUVs) dedicated to the first two components, and remotely operated robots (ROVs) for the third-one.
Exail has been selected to supply this new AUV, capable of operating at depths of up to 6,000 meters. This new underwater drone is based on the architecture of Ulyx, the AUV co-developed by Exail and Ifremer (French national institute for ocean science and technology). The latter made its first dives to 6,000 meters during the autumn of 2023. Building on the technological building blocks already developed for Ulyx, this AUV is a fine example of dual-use technology that will be adapted to meet the specific needs of the French Navy. It will carry out reconnaissance and surveillance missions on the seabed, as well as on sensitive underwater infrastructures such as submarine cables.
“We are honored to have been chosen by the French government to develop this new 6000-meter AUV, which will enable the French Navy to carry out the strategy of the Ministry of the Armed Forces. We are extremely proud of this recognition of our technological expertise in seabed warfare, and to contribute to strengthening national sovereignty”, declared Jérome Bendell, Managing Director of Exail’s Maritime Systems Division.
The AUV, the legacy of over 40 years of Exail deep-sea experience, will incorporate a number of Exail-designed and -manufactured components, including a Phins inertial navigation system and acoustic sensors, but will also be able to carry sensors from other suppliers in order to adapt the system to the missions to hand. The A6K-M AUV is the first of Exail’s A6K deep-sea AUV range.
