EUROATLAS, a German advanced defense technology company, has announced the launch of its new GREYSHARK family of autonomous underwater drones.
According to the company, the new autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) Bravo and Foxtrot will provide armed forces with persistent underwater awareness at a time when threats to undersea cables, pipelines, and shipping routes are increasing worldwide.
The AUVs are intended for critical underwater missions, including “monitoring the integrity of undersea cables, mine sweeping, and reconnaissance,” according to EUROATLAS.
Described by the company as a platform designed for multiple missions, their capabilities include long-term inspection of underwater assets, over-the-horizon vessel activity reconnaissance, channel and coastal area clearing using active sonar, and detection of hostile underwater sensors.
Still according to EUROATLAS, both variants feature an integrated suite of 17 sensors that continuously collect data during movement.
In addition, the systems are built on a modular AI software platform developed in partnership with EvoLogics, enabling long-range and high-endurance missions in contested maritime environments.
Both GREYSHARK vehicles operate with Level 5 autonomy, meaning they can function in all conditions without human intervention. They can also reconfigure their mission profiles remotely based on new data, without needing to surface.
The Bravo variant is battery-powered, while the Foxtrot uses a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system. The Foxtrot was designed for extreme endurance, capable of remaining submerged for up to 16 weeks and traveling up to 11,000 nautical miles at 4 knots without external communication.
Also according to EUROATLAS, the vehicles can operate individually or as part of a swarm. Up to six AUVs can coordinate to maximize coverage, either through self-organization or under a predefined master unit.
“In a constantly changing world, global affairs are contested on multiple fronts. EUROATLAS responds to these challenges with GREYSHARK: a force multiplier that provides enhanced protection in all maritime operations,” said Eugene Ciemnyjewski, CEO of EUROATLAS.
He also stated that the company, with the support of its partner network, “can scale up production to enhance autonomous underwater capabilities in NATO countries and partner nations at an accelerated pace.”
The company said the Bravo variant has completed open-sea testing and is already ready for production. Meanwhile, the Foxtrot variant will begin open-water testing by the end of the year after integration of its fuel cell system.
Photo: EUROATLAS. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
