'A step-change': tech firms battle for undersea dominance with submarine drones

Tech firms are in a heated battle for dominance under the sea as navies worldwide invest heavily in autonomous submarine drones. The UK's Royal Navy, Australia, and the US Navy are among those racing to add these unmanned vessels to their fleets, with a focus on tracking submarines, protecting undersea cables, and countering potential threats.

The shift towards underwater drones represents a "genuine step-change" in the underwater battle space, according to Scott Jamieson, managing director for maritime and land defence solutions at BAE Systems. Autonomous uncrewed submarines will allow navies to scale up their capabilities without the need for expensive manned submarines, reducing costs and increasing decision-making speed.

Industry giants such as General Dynamics, Boeing, and Helsing are competing with startups like Anduril, the maker of the Ghost Shark, and Cohort in a bid to secure lucrative contracts. The startups claim they can offer faster and cheaper solutions, which could disrupt the traditional defence industry landscape.

The development of autonomous underwater systems has been accelerated by the increasing threat of sabotage on undersea infrastructure, including oil and gas pipelines, power cables, and telecommunications cables. The UK government recently accused Russia's Yantar surveillance ship of entering British waters to map undersea cables, highlighting the need for advanced detection capabilities.

The Royal Navy is planning a fleet of underwater uncrewed vehicles (UUVs) as part of its anti-submarine warfare strategy, which will be "contractor-owned, contractor-operated, and naval-oversight," according to Ian McFarlane, sales director for underwater systems at Thales UK. This approach aims to leverage the skills of private companies while ensuring that military targets remain clear.

However, experts warn that the cost advantage offered by autonomous drones remains to be seen, and significant maintenance costs are expected. Additionally, there is a risk that sabotage on undersea infrastructure could become more widespread as cheaper alternatives emerge.

As the underwater drone market heats up, one thing is certain: navies worldwide will need to adapt to a new era of threat detection and countermeasures if they want to stay ahead of the competition.

[Image of a submarine with a big, red "X" marked through it, accompanied by a cartoonish explosion]

[Animated GIF of a robot (Ghost Shark) fighting off an underwater enemy, with a speedometer in the corner reading "Faster, Cheaper, Win"]

[Image of a submarine cable being dug up, with a Russian flag in the background, and a thought bubble saying "Sabotage is coming!"]

[A meme of a defense contractor holding a sign that says "We're working on it..."]

I'm worried about these autonomous subs, tbh . They're gonna change the game big time, but are we really ready for it? I mean, what if one of them gets hacked or sabotaged by bad actors? We need to think about that before we invest too much into this tech.

And don't even get me started on the maintenance costs . It's gonna be a nightmare trying to keep all these drones running smoothly without any humans around. Not to mention, what happens when they break down or get damaged?

I'm also curious about how this is gonna affect the traditional defence industry landscape . Are we gonna see a lot of smaller players and startups entering the market? And what's the deal with these contractor-owned UUVs? Is that just a fancy way of saying "we don't wanna take on all the responsibility"?

Anyway, I guess only time will tell if this tech is gonna be a game-changer or a total disaster . One thing's for sure though - it's gonna be interesting to watch!

I'm thinking... back in my day we didn't have all these fancy drones , but I guess this is the future now . It's kinda cool that tech firms are racing to create these autonomous subs, but at the same time I'm a bit worried about the maintenance costs . I mean, can they really make them fast and cheap? And what if someone hacks into them? That would be a major security risk. And don't even get me started on the environment... all these underwater cables and whatnot, it's like we're playing with fire . But hey, progress is progress, right?

it's crazy to think about how much the game is changing under the sea navies are shelling out big bucks for autonomous subs that can track and detect threats without needing a crew, which makes total sense considering the risks we're facing with sabotage on undersea infrastructure . startups like Anduril might be disrupting the traditional defense industry with their cheaper solutions, but it's also clear that there are some significant hurdles to overcome, like maintenance costs . ultimately, i think navies will need to get creative and find ways to balance cost savings with effective threat detection and countermeasures .

I think it's crazy how much money we're spending on these autonomous submarine drones . I mean, I get that our navies need to protect themselves, but it seems like a lot of cash is being thrown around . And what's with all these startups trying to disrupt the industry? Can they really offer faster and cheaper solutions? I'm not convinced. Plus, there's still so many unknowns - like how much maintenance are we talking about here? It can't be just a matter of throwing some software at it and hoping for the best .

I'm so over this underwater drone craze... it's like we're trying to out-do each other in some sci-fi movie or something . Remember those old-school sonar days? We didn't need all these fancy autonomous subs to catch a Russian spy ship, you know . Now, I'm not saying they're bad, but what's the rush? We've got more pressing issues like climate change and social media addiction to worry about... like who needs drones when you can have a decent filter on Instagram ?

omg u guys i cant even imagine our school's robotics club trying to develop autonomous subs lol like what if we accidentally trigger some underwater saboteur anyway its kinda cool that tech firms are racing to create these drones tho but dont they think about the environmental impact of all those subs in the ocean? like, our oceans are already struggling as it is

This tech battle for the seas is giving me all the feels ! I mean, think about it - navies are going high-tech to outsmart each other... or rather, outsmart potential threats . It's like a futuristic spy thriller down there .

I'm loving that startups like Anduril and Cohort are shaking things up with their fast and affordable solutions . The UK government accusing Russia of sabotaging undersea cables? That's some serious drama unfolding beneath the waves !

But, you're right - we gotta consider the costs too . Autonomous drones might not be the silver bullet everyone thought they'd be. Still, I'm hyped for this underwater tech revolution ! Who knows what innovations will emerge from this battle? The possibilities are endless...

think this underwater drone thing is gonna be huge for security, but also super costly in the long run . i mean, can we really afford to pay for these fancy drones 24/7? and what about the risk of tech getting hacked or sabotaged? that's a major concern. i'm all for innovation, but let's not forget the human factor . still, it's cool to see companies like Anduril making waves with their ghost shark drone . can't wait to see how this whole thing plays out!

I'm low-key worried about the whole autonomous submarine thing ... Don't get me wrong, I think innovation is cool and all, but we're basically creating a whole new vulnerability for hackers and saboteurs to exploit . We're basically playing with fire here and it's gonna take a lot more than just fancy tech to keep our undersea infrastructure safe

Wow

Its gonna be crazy having these drones around our oceans. They're like little robots that can detect and track stuff for us, but what happens when they get hacked?

I mean, think about it, we already have issues with cyber attacks on ships and stuff. Now we're adding autonomous drones to the mix... its a lot of responsibility

It's crazy how things have changed. Remember when subs were just like in Cold War movies? Now it's all about these fancy autonomous drones . I'm not sure about this whole "faster and cheaper" thing, though. In my day, we had to deal with real threats on land, not just some hypothetical ones under the sea . But hey, progress is all well and good . These new drones better be worth it, or else we'll be sorry ...

I mean, can you believe how expensive these underwater drones are gonna be? Like, we're already talking billions of dollars for just a few systems... And don't even get me started on the maintenance costs - I mean, who's gonna fix 'em when they break down at sea?

And what's up with this "contractor-owned, contractor-operated" thing? Sounds like a fancy way of saying "the big corps are making all the cash". It's like, we need to make sure our navies aren't getting taken for a ride by some private company's bottom line.

Not to mention, all these startups popping up - Anduril, Cohort... I mean, how long do they have before they get sold out or go bankrupt? And what about the Russian Yantar surveillance ship stuff? Like, should we just be giving them a free pass because they're "cheaper"? No thanks.

OMG I'm like so hyped for this tech advancement!!! Autonomous submarine drones are going to change the game! The UK, Australia, and US Navies are all investing big in these unmanned vessels and it's going to be a whole new level of underwater warfare BAE Systems is saying it's a step-change and I'm like totally on board Anduril's Ghost Shark is looking and Cohort is bringing the heat too! The threat of sabotage on undersea infrastructure is real and these drones are going to help protect those cables and pipelines But what if the startups do end up being cheaper? Will it change the game for defense industries? One thing's for sure, navies will need to adapt fast! Can't wait to see these drones in action

The underwater battle space is getting crazy competitive ! Tech giants and startups are racing to develop autonomous submarine drones that can track, detect, and counter threats. The UK, Australia, and US navies are already investing big time in these unmanned vessels.

I think it's cool that the industry is pushing for faster and cheaper solutions . Startups like Anduril and Cohort are definitely giving the traditional defense players a run for their money. Their claims of offering faster and cheaper solutions could disrupt the entire defense landscape.

But, let's not forget about the bigger picture . The need to counter sabotage on undersea infrastructure is real . Russia's Yantar surveillance ship entering British waters to map undersea cables is just one example of the growing threat. Navies worldwide will need to stay ahead of this game and invest in advanced detection capabilities.

The challenge is that the cost advantage of autonomous drones is still unknown . Maintenance costs are expected to be significant, and sabotage on undersea infrastructure could become more widespread as cheaper alternatives emerge. It's a double-edged sword: while autonomy offers speed and efficiency, it also introduces new risks.

I'm loving this whole autonomous submarine thing! It's like, think about it, no more risking lives for our brave sailors, and we can focus on so many other important things . And I mean, who wouldn't want a bunch of high-tech drones patrolling the seas for us? Plus, all these startups are coming in with some amazing innovations, like that Ghost Shark thingy... it's like, future is now! And yeah, the cost savings are gonna be huge, no more breaking the bank to keep those manned subs afloat . Of course, there are some risks and whatnots, but I think we're on the cusp of something super cool here .

I think it's pretty cool that tech firms are racing to create these autonomous submarine drones , but at the same time, I'm like "wait, how much is this gonna cost us?" Like, yeah, we need better threat detection and all that, but don't we just wanna see some tangible results before shelling out huge sums of cash? And what's with these startups claiming they can offer faster and cheaper solutions? Are they just trying to get in on the hype or do they actually have something legit?

I think this shift towards autonomous subs is a game changer for defence industries . Navies can finally afford to scale up their capabilities without breaking the bank . It's exciting to see startups like Anduril and Cohort bringing new tech to the table . But let's be real, it's not going to be all rainbows... we need to consider the costs and maintenance issues. Still, I'm hyped about this new frontier ! Who knows what innovations will come out of this? Maybe some genius engineer will create a sub that can detect and counter threats in like 2 seconds . That'd be something

Dude I just saw this crazy video of a diver exploring an old shipwreck in Thailand and it was like something out of a movie . The way he swam through the wreck, dodging debris and fish everywhere, it was so sick. And have you ever thought about how awesome it would be to explore the ocean like that? I mean, we're basically just scratching the surface (literally) when it comes to discovering new things underwater .

And speaking of which, did you know that some scientists are now exploring the idea of building underwater cities in the near future? Like, can you imagine waking up every morning in a self-sustaining city beneath the waves? Mind blown. Anyway, back to these autonomous drones... I guess it's cool that they're gonna make navies more efficient and all, but have you ever noticed how some military equipment just looks straight out of a sci-fi movie? Like, who thought it was a good idea to design submarines that look like giant underwater tanks?

Oh, and one more thing, what's up with the whole "contractor-owned, contractor-operated" thing? Sounds like they're trying to avoid some major liability issues...