The Cetus vehicle will have a modular payload bay that can be extended by inserting an additional section. (MSubs)

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has selected Plymouth-based MSubs to deliver a new extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-AUV) to support the Royal Navy (RN) to explore the utility of uncrewed submarines in the future underwater battlespace.

Known as Project Cetus − named after a mythological sea monster – the new vehicle is seen as a first step in developing an operational XL-AUV that could operate independently, or work side by side, with crewed submarines such as the Astute class or the future Submersible Ship Nuclear (Replacement) (SSN(R)) as part of a hybrid Maritime Underwater Future Capability (MUFC). The intention is that the XL-AUV – which the MoD claims will be “the largest and most complex crewless submersible operated by a European navy” – will be used as an experimental asset to reduce the risks associated with the acquisition of future large AUVs and their payloads.

The Cetus vehicle will have a modular payload bay that can be extended by inserting an additional section. (MSubs)

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has selected Plymouth-based MSubs to deliver a new extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-AUV) to support the Royal Navy (RN) to explore the utility of uncrewed submarines in the future underwater battlespace.

Known as Project Cetus − named after a mythological sea monster – the new vehicle is seen as a first step in developing an operational XL-AUV that could operate independently, or work side by side, with crewed submarines such as the Astute class or the future Submersible Ship Nuclear (Replacement) (SSN(R)) as part of a hybrid Maritime Underwater Future Capability (MUFC). The intention is that the XL-AUV – which the MoD claims will be “the largest and most complex crewless submersible operated by a European navy” – will be used as an experimental asset to reduce the risks associated with the acquisition of future large AUVs and their payloads.

The Cetus vehicle will have a modular payload bay that can be extended by inserting an additional section. (MSubs)

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has selected Plymouth-based MSubs to deliver a new extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-AUV) to support the Royal Navy (RN) to explore the utility of uncrewed submarines in the future underwater battlespace.

Known as Project Cetus − named after a mythological sea monster – the new vehicle is seen as a first step in developing an operational XL-AUV that could operate independently, or work side by side, with crewed submarines such as the Astute class or the future Submersible Ship Nuclear (Replacement) (SSN(R)) as part of a hybrid Maritime Underwater Future Capability (MUFC). The intention is that the XL-AUV – which the MoD claims will be “the largest and most complex crewless submersible operated by a European navy” – will be used as an experimental asset to reduce the risks associated with the acquisition of future large AUVs and their payloads.

The Cetus vehicle will have a modular payload bay that can be extended by inserting an additional section. (MSubs)

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has selected Plymouth-based MSubs to deliver a new extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-AUV) to support the Royal Navy (RN) to explore the utility of uncrewed submarines in the future underwater battlespace.

Known as Project Cetus − named after a mythological sea monster – the new vehicle is seen as a first step in developing an operational XL-AUV that could operate independently, or work side by side, with crewed submarines such as the Astute class or the future Submersible Ship Nuclear (Replacement) (SSN(R)) as part of a hybrid Maritime Underwater Future Capability (MUFC). The intention is that the XL-AUV – which the MoD claims will be “the largest and most complex crewless submersible operated by a European navy” – will be used as an experimental asset to reduce the risks associated with the acquisition of future large AUVs and their payloads.

The Cetus vehicle will have a modular payload bay that can be extended by inserting an additional section. (MSubs)

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has selected Plymouth-based MSubs to deliver a new extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-AUV) to support the Royal Navy (RN) to explore the utility of uncrewed submarines in the future underwater battlespace.

Known as Project Cetus − named after a mythological sea monster – the new vehicle is seen as a first step in developing an operational XL-AUV that could operate independently, or work side by side, with crewed submarines such as the Astute class or the future Submersible Ship Nuclear (Replacement) (SSN(R)) as part of a hybrid Maritime Underwater Future Capability (MUFC). The intention is that the XL-AUV – which the MoD claims will be “the largest and most complex crewless submersible operated by a European navy” – will be used as an experimental asset to reduce the risks associated with the acquisition of future large AUVs and their payloads.

The Cetus vehicle will have a modular payload bay that can be extended by inserting an additional section. (MSubs)

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has selected Plymouth-based MSubs to deliver a new extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-AUV) to support the Royal Navy (RN) to explore the utility of uncrewed submarines in the future underwater battlespace.

Known as Project Cetus − named after a mythological sea monster – the new vehicle is seen as a first step in developing an operational XL-AUV that could operate independently, or work side by side, with crewed submarines such as the Astute class or the future Submersible Ship Nuclear (Replacement) (SSN(R)) as part of a hybrid Maritime Underwater Future Capability (MUFC). The intention is that the XL-AUV – which the MoD claims will be “the largest and most complex crewless submersible operated by a European navy” – will be used as an experimental asset to reduce the risks associated with the acquisition of future large AUVs and their payloads.