Unlock Editor’s Digest Lock for Free
FT editor Roula Khalaf will select your favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.
European defence technology startup Helsing has announced plans for a fleet of unmanned mini-submarines claiming to significantly enhance naval surveillance during the rising threats to ships and critical marine infrastructure.
The company said the SG-1 Fathom, an autonomous glider, can patrol the water for up to three months at a time.
Equipped with an artificial intelligence system called the Lura, Helsing said that sounds made by nearby ships and submarines can detect and classify sounds made with greater accuracy than available alternatives.
Gundbert Scherf, co-founder and co-Chief Executive Officer of Helsing, said the Lura platform will “detect in such a way that our Navy can stop them.”
Lura claimed that it can detect so-called acoustic signatures in containers that are up to 40 times faster than human operators and ten times quieter than other AI models.
The company added that a single operator can monitor hundreds of SG-1 Fathom gliders, receiving intelligence in just 10% of the crew’s anti-submarine tank patrol. Helsing plans to deploy the system within the next 12 months.
Wars in Ukraine highlight the changing times of modern warfare, from the use of traditional hardware such as tanks, guns and ammunition to more technologically sophisticated alternatives, especially autonomous systems.
Meanwhile, Western governments are expanding their underwater reconnaissance capabilities amid increasing attacks on submarine cables and other critical infrastructure.
Earlier this year, the British Royal Navy outlined plans to deploy a fleet of both crew and non-black and white vehicles to provide gravel war capabilities.
Under a program known as Project Cabot, the Navy can work with defense contractors to use underwater drones to collect acoustic data and use AI to detect potential threats.
In the second phase, the Royal Navy plans to use its own ships, including unmanned navy drones, to provide surveillance in the Atlantic Ocean.
The programme is as the UK Department of Defense prepares to release the results of a strategic defence review led by former NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson.
This review will highlight the UK’s need for strong defence in the North Atlantic to counter the threat of Moscow’s sabotage and surveillance activities.
Despite the intensity of the war in Ukraine, Russia continues to invest in the North Fleet, with sophisticated underwater capabilities to map and destroy key infrastructures belonging to the NATO allies.
The new focus in the region is in line with the US demands that British forces focus more on the Euro-Atlantic and more on Asia.
Recommended
Founded in 2021 and valued at 49.5 billion euros in its latest funding round last summer, Helsing hopes to become one of the private sector beneficiaries.
The UK government is also planning to consult with technology companies such as Helsing to develop new industrial strategies for the defense sector.
Helsing partners with underwater drone group Blue Ocean Marine Tech Systems, Maritime Robotics Specialist Ocean Infinity and FTSE 250 defense group Qinetiq to provide its customers with Lura and SG-1 Fathom.
Additional Reports by Helen Worrell
