Source-linked news, original analysis and approved development briefs across unmanned systems. Original event dates, publication dates and evidence limits remain distinct.
On February 25, 2026, TKMS ATLAS ELEKTRONIK and Israel Aerospace Industries handed the first BlueWhale large autonomous underwater vehicle to the German Navy at Eckernförde. The system supports anti-submarine warfare, covert underwater reconnaissance, surface-target surveillance, and mine detection under the Kurs Marine 2035+ modernization effort.
On March 10, 2026, the Royal Navy reported structured operator training on the SeaCat UUV systems supplied through the UK Mine Hunting Capability program.
On March 11, 2026, EUROATLAS and EvoLogics publicly presented and christened the first fuel-cell GREYSHARK Foxtrot prototype, named 'Franzi,' at Damp. The Foxtrot configuration targets long-endurance underwater surveillance and defence missions including critical-infrastructure protection, mine countermeasures, and anti-submarine warfare.
During the week beginning April 6, 2026, GREYSHARK Foxtrot entered the water for its first documented in-water testing near Damp. The campaign evaluated the fuel-cell prototype following earlier land-based propulsion and system work and represented a distinct prototype-maturation milestone before later SeaSEC activity.
On April 10, 2026, TKMS and the German Aerospace Center signed an MoU to expand joint research on protection of critical maritime infrastructure and related maritime technologies. TKMS explicitly stated that autonomous underwater vehicles such as SeaCat would be deployed within the cooperation.
From April 13-24, 2026, GREYSHARK Foxtrot continued its prototype test campaign during the German Navy-linked SeaSEC Data2Sea experimentation period. The vehicle was evaluated in an operational maritime environment focused on seabed security, critical-underwater-infrastructure surveillance, and integrated data collection.
From April 13-24, 2026, the battery-powered GREYSHARK Bravo participated in SeaSEC 2026 during the final phase of its operational-trials program. The campaign provided a German Navy-linked environment for evaluating the more mature Bravo architecture in seabed-security, infrastructure-protection, mine-countermeasure, and related underwater-defence missions.
During SeaSEC 2026, GREYSHARK sensor data from roughly 40 kilometres offshore was transmitted through an EvoLogics receiving mast and integrated into shore-based systems.
On April 15, 2026, the European Commission selected the TKMS ATLAS ELEKTRONIK-coordinated SHIELD project under the European Defence Fund. SHIELD is intended to develop an Unmanned Underwater Super System combining unmanned vehicles, sensors, AI-enabled services, and communications into a distributed underwater-defence architecture.
On April 15, 2026, the European Commission selected ABYSSA under the European Defence Fund, with Germany's Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft participating in the Fincantieri-coordinated consortium.
On April 21, 2026, SeaCat was documented operating submerged and resurfacing during the German Navy-organized SeaSEC Data2Sea sea trials. The campaign evaluated autonomous underwater situational-awareness capabilities relevant to critical-underwater-infrastructure protection, harbour security, and mine reconnaissance.
During the April 13-24, 2026 SeaSEC Data2Sea campaign, EvoLogics Quadroin autonomous underwater vehicles were documented among the underwater systems participating in the Deep Six autonomous-systems architecture.
On April 23, 2026, the Bundestag adopted coalition motion 21/5478 addressing Germany's maritime security, resilience, and technology base. The policy direction calls for strengthening development and future procurement of autonomous maritime capabilities, including underwater systems, to improve maritime-domain awareness and infrastructure protection.
On April 23, 2026, the German Navy's 3. Minensuchgeschwader presented SeaCat during a mine-countermeasures capability briefing in Kiel. The AUV represented the autonomous wide-area sonar-search element used to locate and classify underwater contacts while reducing personnel exposure to mine threats.
SeaFox/Seefuchs mine-disposal vehicles were presented during the German Navy's April 23, 2026 mine-countermeasures capability briefing in Kiel. The tether-controlled family supports close mine identification, with an expendable configuration used for mine neutralization.
On May 25, 2026, RFA Lyme Bay sailed from Gibraltar carrying Royal Navy autonomous mine-hunting equipment including SeaCat. The SeaCat AUV was embarked to support detailed seabed-sonar mapping as part of preparations for a possible multinational Strait of Hormuz mine-countermeasures mission.
C2 Robotics announced a German sale of the Speartooth Large Uncrewed Undersea Vehicle on May 20, 2026, and subsequent BAAINBw-confirmed reporting stated that the Bundeswehr had acquired one vehicle. The modular LUUV is intended for forthcoming technical evaluation by WTD 71 for experimentation with large autonomous-underwater-system concepts and payloads.
On May 29, 2026, Helsing completed its acquisition of Blue Ocean Marine Tech Systems following regulatory and legal approvals. Helsing stated that the transaction would accelerate its maritime-defence program by combining Blue Ocean's autonomous-underwater hardware expertise with Helsing's SG-1 Fathom and Lura capabilities.