Israel Aerospace Industries on Wednesday delivered its autonomous BlueWhale mini-submarine to the German Navy, further cementing defense relations between Israel and Germany.
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Atlas Elektronic collaborated on the submarine, integrating the anti-submarine warfare towed sonar system.
The IAI is a regular supplier to the German Army, having provided it with the Arrow 3 system. It has also received an additional contract from the German Air Force.
“IAI’s autonomous systems, in the air, at sea, on land, and in space, are now operational and provide a significant technological advantage, while improving the ability to protect the lives of soldiers in the field,” IAI President and CEO Boaz Levy said at the handover ceremony at the German Navy base in Eckernförde, on the Baltic Sea coast.
“The delivery of the BlueWhale highlights the maturity of the solution, the strength of the cooperation with Atlas, and the high level of trust between the State of Israel and Germany. We share a common mission: to protect the lives of soldiers and civilians in Israel, Germany, and across Europe.”
The German Navy conducted a series of intensive trials in the Baltic Sea to test the BlueWhale in real-world conditions before the handover.
Unveiled in 2023, the BlueWhale is the first-ever Israeli-made unmanned mini-submarine.
The BlueWhale was designed for covert missions
The BlueWhale was designed for covert missions.
The 12-meter-long BlueWhale mini-submarine is intended for covert intelligence-gathering operations. It can detect submarines and gather acoustic intelligence. It could be the start of a future in which the Israeli navy shifts to more unmanned vessels that require fewer sailors.
In addition, the vehicle’s small size, made possible by its lack of space for human operators, makes it much harder for enemy forces to detect than many current naval options.
The large autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) has successfully conducted thousands of hours of submerged and autonomous operations.
BlueWhale uses radar and electro-optical systems, “fitted to a telescopic mast, to detect sea and coastal targets,” IAI said in a press release.
The mini-submarine is also equipped with “dedicated sonars to enable the detection of both manned and unmanned submarines, and map mines on the seabed.”
In addition, a special sensor suite ensures safe transit for the submarine both below and in the proximity of the sea surface, on which it is also capable of “landing.”
More specifically, the BlueWhale can drop down at least a few hundred meters underwater.
The AUV is capable of remaining at sea for several weeks at minimal cost and maintenance, without the need for operators on board.