Watch as UK’s first XL stealth sub that THINKS for itself and travels more 3000 miles on secret missions takes to water

The United Kingdom has launched its “first” extra-large stealth submarine, designed to assist military personnel on covert missions.

Teams from BAE Systems, the biggest defense company in the UK, deployed the new ship, named Herne, off the coast of Portsmouth earlier this month.

Built by BAE in partnership with Canadian startup Cellula Robotics, Herne is expected to assist military in protecting underwater infrastructure in addition to doing “covert surveillance missions.”

Critical underwater infrastructure, such as subsea cables used for energy and the internet, is protected by surveillance ships and submarines.

“Anti-submarine warfare” will also be utilized, the company stated.

Herne is an autonomous vessel, which means it can think for itself without a human operator. It is said to have a range of 3,100 miles.

The sub was taken from “whiteboard to water” in under 11 months, according to a statement from BAE and Cellula.

In November, a Portsmouth-based team of engineers tested the submarine in a fictitious intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission.

“Game changer in the underwater battlespace” is how BAE’s maritime services chief, Scott Jamieson, has described Herne.

He went on to say, “It will give our customers a cost effective autonomous capability that will allow for a wide range of missions,” and that it provides a substitute for platforms that require crews.

Consequently, additional human workers may be kept out of the way in hazardous situations.

The vessel’s autonomy also allows for the release of skilled workers from “arduous” duties like watchkeeping.

According to BAE: “An added benefit of underwater autonomy is that, without the need to resupply or carry life support systems, Herne will be able to patrol the sub surface domain for far longer than a crewed alternative.”

It is made to fit within a shipping container that is forty feet in length.

The defense team stated that more trials will be conducted to further test Herne.

Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!