In-depth explainer
Compare USVs, AUVs and ROVs, their supervision and data flows, and the launch, recovery and support that make maritime autonomy practical.
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleFrance
A portable autonomous survey vehicle for mine detection and environmental assessment.
Supplier-reported statusRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleFrance
A medium military AUV with a separately contracted extended French SLAM-F configuration.
Order / production commitmentRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleGermany
A modular AUV with optional tethered inspection capability and a German minehunter integration programme.
Order / production commitmentRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleIndia
Three Indian underwater vehicle lines addressing deep survey, compact modular missions and configurable environmental work.
Supplier-reported statusRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleJapan
Japan's mine-search AUV, with a documented equipment baseline and continuing sonar research.
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleSouth Korea
Distinct Korean mine-survey and larger underwater-surveillance development programmes.
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleTürkiye
Two autonomous survey vehicles with separate depth ratings and configurable batteries.
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleIceland
A modular portable AUV with named naval deliveries and a configurable survey sensor suite.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleIceland
A larger modular relative of Gavia with more energy and payload volume.
Supplier-reported statusRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleIceland
A deep-water AUV offered for broad survey and defence-related seabed observation.
Order / production commitmentRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleUnited States
A modular, nine-inch-class AUV selected for a US submarine launch-and-recovery development programme.
Order / production commitmentRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleUnited States
A smaller modular Iver AUV with a distinct five-point-eight-inch hull and a dated 2025 specification baseline.
Supplier-reported statusRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleUnited States
A US Navy mine-countermeasure AUV derived from Bluefin technology, with its own sonar, integration and delivery record.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Underwater gliderUnited States
A larger Slocum glider intended for long-duration sensing, with a documented 2026 naval acoustic demonstration.
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleNorway
The original deep-water HUGIN survey family, with model-specific energy and depth configurations distinct from Superior and Endurance.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleNorway
A smaller modular survey AUV documented in Kongsberg's 2018 rental catalogue; current production and defence acceptance require updating.
Supplier-reported statusRead Underwater · Remotely operated underwater vehicleSweden
A mine-countermeasure vehicle family spanning a tether-powered ROV and a battery-capable hybrid ROV/AUV.
Order / production commitmentRead Underwater · Remotely operated underwater vehicleSweden
A reusable tethered underwater vehicle integrated into French and British mine-countermeasure programmes.
Order / production commitmentRead Underwater · Remotely operated underwater vehicleSweden
A portable tethered inspection and explosive-ordnance-disposal support ROV with documented US prototype deliveries.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleAustralia
An Australian large autonomous underwater vehicle with a 2026 US commissioning announcement and German export sale.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleCanada
A long-endurance AUV formerly called Solus-LR, with a manufacturer-reported 2,023 km submerged demonstration in 2026.
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleCanada
The current Solus-XR identity, offered as a large modular battery or fuel-cell AUV with an announced confidential defence sale.
Order / production commitmentRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleCanada
A modular Canadian survey AUV family with delivered scientific and commercial vehicles and defence-funded docking development.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleCanada
A historical Canadian defence AUV built for under-ice cable-laying research and subsequently placed in storage.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleChina
A Chinese full-ocean-depth research robot with autonomous and remotely operated modes, documented in a 2026 scientific expedition.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Underwater gliderChina
A Chinese buoyancy-driven ocean-observation family, with scientific deployments and distinct deep-diving demonstrators.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleRussia
A Russian full-ocean-depth autonomous research complex, separate from operational naval UUV claims.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleRussia
A small modular survey and search AUV with a manufacturer-published 1,000-metre depth rating.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleUkraine
A Ukrainian underwater-vehicle project whose owner publishes prototype evidence and a claimed long-range multi-role concept.
Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleTürkiye
A portable autonomous survey vehicle with a Turkish domestic contract and documented sea trials.
Order / production commitmentRead Underwater · Autonomous underwater vehicleTürkiye
Concept / announced
A large autonomous underwater-vehicle programme unveiled by STM in May 2026.
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States
Small untethered survey vehicle with a long naval mine-countermeasures history and numerous sensor configurations.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States
Portable modular AUV underpinning the US Navy’s Lionfish programme, with battery-dependent size, endurance and range.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States
Medium-class modular AUV with multi-day advertised endurance and documented customer procurement and integration trials.
Order / production commitmentRead Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States
Portable electric AUV combining seabed sonar, imaging and environmental data collection.
Supplier-reported statusRead Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States
A large, deep-rated survey AUV with interchangeable sensor and battery modules.
Supplier-reported statusRead Underwater · Underwater systemsNorway
A deep-water survey AUV combining synthetic-aperture sonar with a broad environmental sensor suite.
Supplier-reported statusRead Underwater · Underwater systemsNorway
A large AUV designed for long autonomous survey deployments from shore or a support vessel.
Order / production commitmentRead Underwater · Underwater systemsSweden
A hovering hybrid underwater vehicle able to perform autonomous survey or remotely controlled inspection tasks.
Supplier-reported statusRead Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited Kingdom
A compact tethered inspection ROV with standard and deep-rated configurations.
Supplier-reported statusRead Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States
A modular large-diameter AUV marketed for defence and commercial deep-water missions.
Supplier-reported statusRead Underwater · Underwater systemsIsrael / Germany
A large Israeli-developed AUV with German sonar integration and a documented German Navy handover.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited Kingdom
The Royal Navy's Project Cetus extra-large underwater technology demonstrator.
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States
A buoyancy-driven oceanographic glider with established naval use and configurable environmental sensing.
In service / use documentedRead Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States
An extra-large underwater technology demonstrator exploring long-duration autonomous operations.
Field guideGlobal
A guide to UAVs, UGVs, USVs and underwater vehicles—and how to compare their evidence without confusing operating domains with autonomy.
Underwater · Underwater systemsUnited States
The US Navy's extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle programme, developed around modular mission payloads.
Underwater · Underwater systemsAustralia
Australia's extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle programme, progressing from prototypes into contracted production.
Order / production commitmentRead