BAE Systems has introduced the Herne Extra-Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (XLAUV), positioning it as a new tool for anti-submarine warfare, infrastructure protection, and covert surveillance.
Built for long-haul missions, the platform can operate for up to 45 days, cover 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles), and dive as deep as 5,000 meters (16,400 feet).
Its endurance is powered by advanced batteries, with hydrogen fuel cells available to stretch missions even further.
Sized to fit inside a standard 40-foot (12-meter) container, the XLAUV can be deployed from ports, surface ships, or submarines.
Modular compartments allow it to host various payloads, including sonar, countermeasures, remotely operated vehicles, or weapons.
To boost survivability, the submarine employs acoustic signature management, making it harder to detect.
“It’s a game changer in the underwater battlespace and will enable us to offer our customers a cost-effective autonomous capability providing them with more endurance, efficiency, and scale, whilst keeping their people out of harm’s way,” said Scott Jamieson, Managing Director of Maritime & Land Defence Solutions at BAE.
Development and Trials
In partnership with Canadian firm Cellula Robotics, BAE produced the first Herne prototype in just 11 months, a pace described as “whiteboard to water.”
Its highly-anticipated appearance at the DSEI 2025 convention in London follows a series of successful trials that validated its missions systems and performance.
In November 2024, the vehicle carried out a pre-programmed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission in British waters using BAE’s Nautomate autonomous system.
Building on that momentum, the two companies signed a 10-year exclusive agreement to further refine Herne, with the goal of delivering a market-ready system by the end of 2026.
“The trials last year were a huge success,” Jamieson added. “I’m delighted that we’re building on that momentum with this new collaboration agreement to maintain the phenomenal pace at which we’re developing Herne.”
