British BAE Systems unveils Herne: A game-changer in sea warfare
The entire world is closely observing the conflict in Ukraine. One of the more intriguing aspects has been the deployment of sea drones to target the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The British company BAE Systems has unveiled the Herne XLAUV underwater drone demonstrator. We present what is currently known about it.
In partnership with the Canadian company Cellula Robotics, engineers from the British company BAE Systems transitioned from a digital concept to a functional demonstrator of the autonomous underwater drone named Herne in just 11 months. It is an Extra Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (XLAUV).
According to Scott Jamieson, Managing Director of Maritime Programmes at BAE Systems, "Herne is a game changer in the underwater battlespace. It will give our customers a cost effective autonomous capability that will allow for a wide range of missions, end the reliance on crewed platforms, keeping people out of harm’s way and boosting endurance."
Herne underwater drone — a key tool for monitoring underwater critical infrastructure
Herne is designed to monitor and protect underwater infrastructure on a large scale, support operations against enemy submarines, and conduct covert reconnaissance missions. The unmanned machine marks significant progress here, as there is no requirement for life support systems or supplies of food or water for the crew.
As a result, reconnaissance operations can last longer, and more space can be allocated for the power source without increasing the size. Other advantages include quieter operation, making it difficult for sonars to detect, and the fact that such a drone can be dispatched to very hazardous locations, as the loss of such a unit is far less severe for the command than losing one with a human crew.
Herne is set to utilise the autonomous military navigation system Nautomate, which can be implemented on existing and newly built ships. This, combined with the Herne drone's open architecture, allows for seamless integration with current ships, enabling a significant increase in operational perception and the addition of new capabilities in the future.
Another benefit of the deep-sea autonomy system is the ability to conduct long-term patrols without replenishing supplies or life support systems, positioning Herne ahead of traditional manned units. Thanks to the system's open architecture, further enhancements to this vehicle are possible as new technologies emerge.
For instance, ships equipped with underwater drones would be the ideal solution for patrolling areas like underwater fibre-optic cables, which are crucial for today's nations. Consider the recent damage to the underwater cable between Germany and Finland.
The dimensions of the drone have not been specified, but in some concepts, it appears to fit within a standard shipping container so that it may have a diameter of about 2 metres and up to 12 metres in length. Its equipment is expected to vary according to the configuration, including a towed sonar, radar, or an optoelectronic head with a day or thermal camera.
