Underwater drone: Saab and Sweden put LUUV demonstrator in the water

A large unmanned underwater vehicle (LUUV) has been developed, built and launched as a demonstrator – successfully and less than a year after the contract was awarded. Behind it are Saab, the Swedish procurement agency FMV and the Swedish Armed Forces.

As planned, the concept has become a fully functional vehicle. The successful sea trials mark the end of the project’s first phase.

The next phase is to focus on developing more advanced capabilities. The results will support the further development of software, sensors and autonomous functions and at the same time feed into future product development.

The vehicle shows how much close cooperation between industry and government agencies can shorten the path from an identified operational need to the trial of a new capability.

“This project shows how new technologies can quickly be turned into practical operational benefit. The unmanned underwater vehicle can contribute to increased endurance, improved situational awareness and strengthened underwater capabilities,” said Mats Wicksell, head of Saab’s Naval business area.

Unmanned underwater vehicle as a partner for submarines

The demonstrator is intended for developing and evaluating future underwater capabilities. At the same time, it is to enable operations alongside existing naval platforms such as submarines.

The speed of development is due to Saab’s software-centric approach and the integration of Autonomous Ocean Core. This autonomous control system from Saab provides surface and underwater vehicles with autonomous capabilities.

Combined with Swedish expertise in submarine design and sensor integration, this made it possible to move quickly from concept to sea trials.

The LUUV project grew out of earlier investment and work by Saab in the field of autonomous underwater systems. It is now led by FMV, which is working with the Swedish Armed Forces and Saab.

The project gives the Swedish authorities a basis for deciding on the future procurement and operational use of autonomous underwater systems.