Product profile
Herne XLAUV
Herne is BAE Systems’ modular extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle for persistent naval missions. Its configurable hull, payload sections and Nautomat...
Facts
- Company
- BAE Systems
- Product type
- auv
- Status
- development
- Primary capability
- underwater_surveillance
- Website
- https://www.baesystems.com/en/product~herne--xlauv~?componentId=contentListing-cc091bae-9110-48bf-95c4-d206eb1eac6c&searchPageNo=2
About Herne XLAUV
Herne is a modular extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle developed by BAE Systems with Cellula Robotics. Adaptable hull and payload sections allow the platform to be configured for underwater and surface mission equipment, while BAE's Nautomate control architecture supports autonomous navigation, mission reconfiguration and secure battlespace integration.
BAE lists anti-submarine warfare, critical-infrastructure protection and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as intended roles. Herne completed a UK in-water demonstration in 2024, but BAE's current material still describes certification and market delivery as work in progress, with a market-ready craft targeted by the end of 2026. The profile therefore records demonstrated deployment maturity while retaining development commercial status.
Market context
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Summary
Type: Extra-large autonomous UUV
Core: Herne XLAUV
Function: Persistent naval undersea missions
Audience: Navies and defence integrators
Specifications
- control_model
- BAE Systems Nautomate autonomous control architecture
- mission_roles
- Anti-submarine warfare, critical infrastructure protection and ISR
- payload_architecture
- Modular adaptable hull sections and flexible mission payload space
- platform_type
- Extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XLAUV)
Operations
- Environment
- open_ocean, underwater, defense_mission
- Primary user
- naval_operators, government_maritime_operators, critical_infrastructure_operators
- Role
- underwater_surveillance, anti_submarine_warfare, critical_infrastructure_protection, payload_integration
- Interaction model
- autonomous_mission_execution, operator_programmed, remote_supervision
- Mobility class
- extra_large_autonomous_underwater_vehicle
- Product detail
- https://zlsbkmaixmmnjrgpkcyp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/robotics_assets/products/korthos-product-candidates-2026-08-20-batch-15/bae-herne-xlauv-official-16x9.jpg, extra_large_autonomous_underwater_vehicle, large_uncrewed_underwater_vehicle, 1600, 900, 143b279c0f91ab49f0caeeab4fff39449d2dc2a4f4fb7ce77e02da2eeb49655d, reviewed_16x9_official_media, false, Extra-Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, robotics_assets, https://www.baesystems.com/.imaging/focalpoint/Cinema/1600x800/dam/jcr:a...
Research, Articles and recent verified events
- GKN Aerospace delivers flight-ready Brontanax aerostructures to BAE Systems — 2026-07-29
- Australia awards A$6.2M across three AUKUS undersea-autonomy contracts — 2026-07-10
- BAE Systems and Thales plan ISR mast integration for Herne XLAUV — 2026-05-12
- Thales and BAE Systems collaborate on ISR mast for Herne XLAUV — 2026-05-12
- BAE Systems and Cellula Robotics sign 10-year Herne autonomous submarine agreement — 2025-09-09
- BAE Systems aims to bring Herne autonomous submarine to market by 2026 — 2025-09-09
- BAE Systems demonstrates autonomous extra-large submarine Herne off the UK coast — 2024-11-25
- Eve names first three production eVTOL suppliers — 2023-06-18