Zitat:China Reveals New Heavily Armed Extra-Large Uncrewed Submarine

New evidence points to China's XLUUV (extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles) being armed with torpedoes. [...] As Naval News reported in September 2022, China has an extensive yet unreported XLUUV program. Because China does not discuss these vehicles in public we can only speculate on many details. [...]

Even more unusually, this is combined with telltale doors for four torpedo tubes in the chin position. Taken together it implies an anti-ship and/or anti-submarine role.

Zitat:Dearsan Unveils Submarine For Amphibious Operations, XLUUV

At IDEF 2023, Turkish shipbuilder Dearsan unveiled unique submarine solutions, including a double-pressure hull submarine for amphibious operations and a small special operations submarine that also comes in a XLUUV variant.

The designs were unveiled for the first time at IDEF 2023, which was held in Istanbul between 25 and 28 July 2023. All of the designs are in the conceptual phase, and the development process is still ongoing. [...] The Dearsan LCSUB (landing craft submarine) is designed to support amphibious operations by taking aboard 60 Marines and delivering them undetected to shore. The submarine is also capable of monitoring, detecting, and gathering intelligence on the amphibious operations area. [...]

LCSUB Specifications:

Length: 29.9 m
Beam: 5.2 m
Height: 4.65 m
Displacement: 180 tons

Zitat:US Navy Receives First Orca Drone Submarine From Boeing

Boeing has delivered the US Navy’s first Orca Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV) in Huntington Beach, California. The XLUUV is a new class of autonomous submarines that can sustain undersea endurance missions, enabling “dominance” across complex and evolving maritime domains.

Named XLE0, the first Orca platform incorporates a diesel-electric hybrid engine with a modular payload section to perform different undersea operations. The 51-foot (15.5-meter) system is designed to accommodate different mission-specific integrations, including communication systems, sensors, and related equipment. [...]

According to the US, information gathered from these completed phases will be applied to the Orca XLUUV 1 throughout 5, all of which will be constructed and shipped for the naval force.

“This is the culmination of more than a decade of pioneering work, developing a long-range, fully autonomous undersea vehicle with a large payload capacity that can operate completely independently of a host vehicle,” Boeing Maritime and Intelligence Systems VP Ann Stevens stated. “I’ve had the distinct pleasure of witnessing our team bring this first-of-its-kind capability to life, and I’m proud of their innovation, perseverance and unwavering commitment which has yielded the most advanced and capable UUV in the world.”

Zitat:US Office of Naval Research explores designs for future UUV capabilities

This development effort will focus on improving or increasing vehicle endurance, speed and autonomous performance in a variety of environmental conditions. [...]

The US Office of Naval Research awarded a contract to a Massachusetts-based ocean research group, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), on 4 March, 2024. Under a $13.5m contract, the contractor will develop, integrate, test and demonstrate ‘Next-Generation Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Sensors and Capabilities’. This programme will focus on improving or increasing vehicle endurance, speed and autonomous performance in a variety of environmental conditions. As part of the programme, new vehicle designs will be explored and evaluated, as well as autonomous teaming scenarios. [...]

According to the leading intelligence consultancy, GlobalData, the global military uncrewed maritime vehicles market, valued at $1.3bn in 2023 is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.52% in the next decade. It is expected to reach $3.2bn by 2033 and cumulatively value $24.9bn over the forecast period. [...] Navies are increasingly investing in the development and integration of USVs and UUVs to create ‘hybrid’ fleet structures in the interest of enhancing survivability, increasing efficiency, and reducing the long-term costs of naval operations.

Zitat:Anduril’s Ghost Shark XLAUV Debuts In Australia

Anduril, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) and Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) unveiled the first Ghost Shark manufactured prototype and announce that the Ghost Shark program is ahead of schedule and on budget. [...]

Delivering the first Ghost Shark prototype ahead of schedule sets a new standard for capability development at the speed of need. Ghost Shark is already well ahead of its three-year development schedule.

The Ghost Shark program is delivering an operationally relevant capability within a fraction of traditional defence timelines. Early creation and testing of the first Ghost Shark has been critical for rapid learning and iteration – this is how we deliver advanced asymmetric capability.

DSTG is contributing its own pathfinding technologies into the Ghost Shark’s powerful capability, as well as design and development expertise for key systems and payloads.

Zitat:British engineers successfully demonstrate UK’s first autonomous extra large submarine “Herne” for military use

A team of British engineers based in Portsmouth has successfully demonstrated a new type of autonomous submarine, developed specifically for military use, off the south coast of England. [...] The vessel, called Herne, is what is known as an extra large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLAUV) and has been configured by BAE Systems to enable militaries to monitor and help protect underwater infrastructure across the vast expanses of the seabed, support anti-submarine warfare and provide another means for them to undertake covert surveillance missions. [...] An added benefit of underwater autonomy is that, without the need to resupply or carry life support systems, Herne will be able to patrol the sub surface domain for far longer than a crewed alternative. It can also be upgraded as new technology or ways of working evolve by using open architecture mission plug-ins.