BAE Systems and Canadian firm Cellula Robotics have extended their collaboration on Herne, the UK’s first autonomous military submarine, signing a ten-year exclusive agreement aimed at delivering a market-ready craft by the end of 2026.
The deal follows successful trials in November 2024, when Herne carried out a pre-programmed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission using BAE’s Nautomate autonomous control system.
According to BAE, the submarine is designed to provide militaries with a cost-effective option for anti-submarine warfare, covert surveillance and seabed infrastructure monitoring. Free from the constraints of life-support systems and resupply requirements, it can operate independently or alongside crewed vessels, offering long-duration presence at lower cost.
Scott Jamieson, Managing Director of BAE’s Maritime & Land Defence Solutions business, said the trials had proved the platform’s potential. “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.”
Neil Manning, Chief Executive of Cellula Robotics, highlighted the integration of his company’s hydrogen-based energy solution. “Herne, the result of this partnership, embodies the fusion of cutting-edge engineering from both companies to create a platform with unmatched endurance and operability. It represents a cost-effective force multiplier, complementing Navy operational needs while seamlessly integrating with other marine defence systems.”
The partnership has moved quickly. From “whiteboard to water” took just 11 months, with trials in both the UK and Canada informing design refinements. The two firms now aim to maintain that pace as they push towards delivery, presenting Herne as an endurance-focused autonomous submarine that could reshape naval undersea operations.
Good to see. Did anyone read the NL article on the 1SL’s speech? Interesting stuff about a planned 2026 CCA test onboard the QE-class, about the plan for a three ship group involving a frigate and two unmanned assets, and about an inter-operable frigate force with Norway.
Was just about to post on this, you best me to it.
First autonomous escorts to accompany manned escorts within 2 years?
Unmanned jets on QE by 2026.
He’s either grandstanding with the best of them, and we’ve had all sorts of similar aspirations, vows, and such from CDS CAS 1SL and HMG for decades as the forces fall apart.
Or, he knows something to declare with such certainty?
Maybe the never ending drone development programs were just a ploy all along to lure our enemies into complacency and we already have all the things they have been promising for years ready to go into service 😀🇬🇧
Hi M8,
A couple of things you need to add to your list, Project Nightfall to provide 5 working Test Tactical Ballistic Missiles within 9 to 12 months.
And Babcock / Patria tie up and us getting us into the Patria CAVS partnership (that surprised me).
I’ve spent 40+ years watching phantom projects, new world beating dead enders and same old, same contracts to same companies. But zero innovation, very few challenging leaps in capability and generally an onus on making the meagre budget last long enough so everyone is kept in jobs.
The last month has been distinctly odd and only really makes sense if they are actually doing the Technology / Industry ground work for new equipment to be purchased in the DIP (may be delivered in December after Rachel from accounts has her say in the Budget).
I know you are pretty down about any uplift in capacity, but just take a look at where we are right now, all our present live projects are those that were in the last equipment plan and funded within that plan (last bit was the outstanding F35 buy).
Most of those projects such as T31, T26, Astute, Dreadnought, F35, Boxer, Ajax, CR3 and the massive infrastructure modernisation in DNO/DNE are all well advanced and in production / delivery part of their cost curve (MRSS, MROSS and warhead renewal are way behind).
So as the Defence budget is being increased over the next 10 years and we work on a 20% for equipment budget, what are they going to spend the next 10 years worth of money on unless it’s new kit in the DIP .
I’m beginning to think the DIP may be a pleasant surprise or even a shock if it includes an uplift in the service establishment numbers !
As for the interoperable Frigate force bit that’s exactly what Norway wants and with 2 Arsenal USV per hull, it may well explain why it’s £10 billion for just 5 T26, which has had me scratching my bonce.🤔
Interesting times !
I can always rely on you to inject some much needed positivity and optimism into things, my friend.
You are sounding like Jonathan a few month’s ago, before reality took hold.
Let’s hope Starmer survives, then, as the left of Labour are smelling blood.
I’ll believe the extra money for kit when I see it though. Politicians backside all the time, the left is circling, and they’ve moved everything from removing Afghans, the SIA, to Chagos payments into the budget.
TBH we really missed a trick with the Chagos deal, then again most of Politicians have never studied History and the the CS only study it as part of doing Classics at Oxbridge.
In 1974 the UK government wanted out of Cyprus and were going to give up the Sovereign bases as we needed the troops for NI and it was a drain on the Defence budget.
Uncle Sam didn’t like that idea as it’s the most stable and strategic intelligence gathering facility they have in the Eastern Med, great for watching the southern half of Russia and keeping an eye on the Middle East. So a deal was done and since then they stump up half the maintenance costs and that’s why they now have a presence and use the facilities.
We should have just said “Chagos we don’t want it, don’t need it and are thinking of just giving it to Mauritius”. Then when the US go barmy we either cede it and the entire UKIOT to them (my favourite option) or they pay the bill.
As for the Defence budget if we don’t think Sec gen NATO and the Tango Man Dixie band aren’t all watching what we do with our money then we are just plain wrong. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if the 3.5/1.5 % commitment isn’t publicly re visited by Trump next week and pretty well nailed to Starmers forehead.
The US and NATO aren’t stupid and right now the UKs “Talk a good game, go down the pub and don’t pay our round’ attitude just isn’t going to last for another 3 years.
TBH we really missed a trick with the Chagos deal, then again most of Politicians have never studied History and the the CS only study it as part of doing Classics at Oxbridge.
In 1974 the UK government wanted out of Cyprus and were going to give up the Sovereign bases as we needed the troops for NI and it was a drain on the Defence budget.
Uncle Sam didn’t like that idea as it’s the most stable and strategic intelligence gathering facility they have in the Eastern Med, great for watching the southern half of Russia and keeping an eye on the Middle East. So a deal was done and since then they stump up half the maintenance costs and that’s why they now have a presence and use the facilities.
We should have just said “Chagos we don’t want it, don’t need it and are thinking of just giving it to Mauritius”. Then when the US go barmy we either cede it and the entire UKIOT to them (my favourite option) or they pay the bill.
As for the Defence budget if we don’t think Sec gen NATO and the Tango Man Dixie band aren’t all watching what we do with our money then we are just plain wrong. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if the 3.5/1.5 % commitment isn’t publicly re visited by Trump next week and pretty well nailed to Starmers forehead.
The US and NATO aren’t stupid and right now the UKs “Talk a good game, go down the pub and don’t pay our round’ attitude just isn’t going to last for another 3 years.
MROSS 2 and the 3 other MCMV mothers, I read somewhere that 2026 is the go for those.
Maybe so but they are still late ! Other commitments tool priority.
Traitor, how dare you visit that other site.
May your nipples itch and your farts smell of cabbage for ever and ever.
Think we have already made strides on flight drones through working with Ukraine on the same. They have been very complimentary on British companies as posed to others. Not sure we’ll see a proper fighter capable asset for 10 years however.
On surface dro es there has been lots if activity in Plymouth & BAE actually seems to be entering into the spirit of rpaid prototyping.
I’m actually more positive than I’ve been for decades.
When I saw the headline, I though it meant that our AI submarine had evolved into a giant robot sea squid, the better to destroy our enemies. Been a long day.
“Sea Squid” Are there any other types ?
(I ask in my most humorous way which is stealthy in itself as mostly it goes undetected)
(and I seem to have lost all the emoji’s)
(but at least I can use “quotes” again).
(but there are only 3 reply lines now)
(oh and still no edit feature).
Oh and that took half a week to load from pressing enter.
Strange things happening here.
Not too bad for me on here, although I have received recently a couple of replies two weeks after they were dated as sent.
And yes, there are many types of sea squid. LGBTQ+++ are nothing compared to sea squid.
So back to these Squid then, are you saying there are River Squid, Pond Squid, Stream Squid, that sort of thing ?
No, there are only sea squid. Google says there are over 300 different types of them.
Australia today announced the signing of a $1.7 billion contract with Anduril for the full rate production in Australia of the Ghost Shark XLAUV to fund ‘a fleet scale acquisition’. Official releases do not mention specific numbers but this level of funding should provide a minimum of about 30 to 40 hulls.
According to today’s media release by the ADF, the Ghost Shark will be able to conduct both ISR and explicitly stated ‘strike’ roles. While the RAN is being coy about weapons, it almost certainly means the RAN will acquire the torpedo systems developed by Anduril either or both the Copperhead (the Ghost Shark will carry multiple Copperheads). There is both a smaller version Copperhead 100 (analogous to a MK 54) and a Copperhead 500 (in the CBASS class of heavy torpedo- the numbers refer to warhead size in pounds). Anduril have also developed a deployable AI driven Seabed Sentry.
The Ghost Shark is transportable by C17 which theoretically could see it deployed quickly anywhere in the Pacific or more globally. Amphibious well dock ships like the Bay Class HMAS Choules can act as mother ships. It will have a ‘strategic’ range even from Australian ports of several thousand nautical miles and endurance up to a month operating autonomously.
Ghost Shark has gone from initial development to full production in three years.
Bloody hell, I was just learning about all the different types of Sea Squid and now you go and throw Sharks into the equation.
It’s a real Fisherman’s basket now. Just add chips and salt and vinegar.
Suddenly I feel hungry.
Sorry but do we have 2 very similar projects on the go ? BAe with Herne MSubs with their XLAUV Project CETUS Excaliber.
Any ideas anyone.
Yes, we have two XLUUV projects running concurrently. As far as I know the difference is that BAE are funding Herne by themselves in the hope of overtaking the government-run development programme.