BAE Systems has conducted at-sea testing of its Herne extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLAUV), demonstrating the system’s ability to conduct military tasks.
The Herne XLAUV is designed to provide capability to conduct covert surveillance missions, supporting operational tasks including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and protection of critical underwater infrastructure.
Herne’s autonomous capability is also designed to deliver improved mission endurance, reducing requirements for re-supply or other sustainment. In addition, the XLAUV is designed with an open architecture mission system approach, to enable new capabilities to be ‘plugged in’.
Testing took place off Portsmouth, UK in late November. In the trials, Herne carried out a pre-programmed ISR mission, enabled by the company’s Nautomate platform-agnostic integrated autonomy system.
“Herne is a game changer in the underwater battlespace,” said Scott Jamieson, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Maritime Services business, in a company press statement released on 25 November. Key components of this game-changing capability include supporting a wide range of missions, sustained endurance, and reduced risk to operators, Jamieson added.
On the first point, flexible capability to support a range of missions is enabled (according to a BAE Systems fact sheet) through using large, adaptable, mission-specific, integrated payload modules, deployed in a flexible payload space, and offering both underwater and surface warfare capabilities.
On the second and third points, Herne’s extended endurance – enabled through harnessing new power and propulsion technologies – allows it to deploy out front of crewed platforms, conducting sensing for sustained periods and helping reduce risk to those platforms.
The XLAUV’s design flexibility and modularity also supports its adaptable outputs. Here, additional capability can be incorporated through inserting extra hull sections.
Other core design points for the vehicle include enhanced signature management, secure communications, a digital command-and-control architecture, and a hull designed to enable launch and recovery from surface ships, submarines, or shore facilities.
BAE Systems has worked with Canadian company Cellula Robotics to deliver Herne’s demonstrator configuration.
Further trials are planned, to refine the system in the context of potential customer requirements.
by Dr. Lee Willett
