The Indian Navy has finalized plans and issued Expression of Interest (EoI) orders to procure a dozen extra-large unmanned underwater vehicles (XLUUVs) for anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as high-risk missions in restricted and shallow waters.
The next-generation XLUUVs are expected to revolutionize undersea naval warfare in the Indian Ocean Region.
“This is a strategic move to enhance maritime domain awareness (MDA) and combat capabilities. The introduction of XLUUVs will act as force multipliers, capable of undertaking missions that are too risky or prolonged for traditional manned submarines,” explained a senior naval commander.
Designed for long-duration missions of up to two months, XLUUVs will operate autonomously, enabling greater flexibility in maritime operations. These vehicles are specifically engineered for high-risk missions in restricted and shallow waters.
The modular features of these underwater unmanned vehicles will include a communication system with satellite communication (Satcom) capabilities, radar, electronic support measures (ESM), a sonar suite, a Doppler velocity log (DVL), and an advanced navigation system. This ambitious amphibious project will also incorporate an image-processing system powered by artificial intelligence (AI)-based perception algorithms, enhancing the ability to gather and interpret data in complex underwater environments.
The prototype development, in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), aims to establish “design capabilities” for radar, electronic intelligence sensors, communication systems, and various sonar technologies within a three-year timeline.
The XLUUVs will be equipped with advanced underwater detection systems, including flank array sonar, towed array sonar, a multibeam echosounder, side-scan sonar, and collision-avoidance sonar.
