From Israel delivers unmanned spy submarine to German Navy
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
State-owned Israel Aerospace Industries and German shipbuilder Thyssenkrupp announce the delivery of a large autonomous underwater vehicle, dubbed BlueWhale, to the German Navy.
The delivery took place today at the Eckernförde naval base, “marking a significant milestone for autonomous underwater systems,” IAI says in a statement.
IAI says BlueWhale, first revealed in 2023, was “developed to support the German Navy in unmanned anti-submarine warfare and covert maritime missions.”
It underwent testing in the Baltic Sea, “one of the most demanding and complex areas of operation for the German Navy,” according to the Israeli defense firm.
BlueWhale uses radar and electro-optical systems to detect sea and coastal targets. It is also equipped with sonar capabilities to gather intelligence, detect manned and unmanned submarines, and map out naval mines, IAI says.
Thyssenkrupp’s Atlas Elektronik subsidiary developed BlueWhale’s towed array sonar, making it a joint project between the German shipbuilder and IAI.
BlueWhale joins a swiftly growing array of unmanned underwater vehicles developed over the last several years as navies around the world scramble to upgrade their naval defense technologies and protect offshore assets, such as undersea pipelines.
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