L3Harris Technologies has secured a contract from the Defense Innovation Unit within the US Department of War (Department of Defense) to provide a torpedo tube launch and recovery system.
The technology allows for the deployment and retrieval of autonomous underwater vehicles through standard submarine torpedo tubes.
The US and allied navies confirmed the system is capable of performing intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and mine detection tasks. These operations can be conducted without the need for a vessel to surface, reducing risk to personnel.
Nino DiCosmo, President of Maritime, Space and Mission Systems at L3Harris, stated the system is, "answering combatant commander needs today," rather than being a capability for the future.
He noted that it is the first to successfully manage both the launch and recovery of autonomous vehicles from a submarine.
The company stated that the modular system increases the force capacity of existing submarine hulls without requiring the construction of new vessels. It features lithium-ion battery technology approved for both aviation and submarine use, which supports longer mission durations.
L3Harris said the system's interoperability across various submarine classes and allied platforms supports the navy's vision for teamed operations. This development also reflects ongoing collaboration under the second pillar of the AUKUS security partnership.
