UDT 2026 Day Three: From Concept to Capability in Undersea Warfare
Undersea Defence Technology 2026 closes in London with a clear signal on where the market is heading next. By day three, the conversation has moved beyond ambition to execution, with deployable systems, integration and operational readiness taking centre stage.
Visiongain analysis indicates the undersea defence infrastructure and security market will grow from $29.47 billion in 2026 to $56.75 billion by 2036, driven by rising threats to subsea assets and rapid advances in autonomy, sensing and data integration.
Across day three, the emphasis shifted from themes to implementation.
Visiongain Top Takeaways
Systems integration and situational awareness
Among the major industry contributors, Indra presented a comprehensive suite of naval systems focused on communications, intelligence and survivability.
The company highlighted its TSUB-40 satellite communications system, positioned as the first on the global market to offer variants in X, Ka and Ku bands, โalong with three-axis pointing capability to provide a far more stable link with high data rates and minimal power consumption.โ The system is certified for use with the Spainsat NG satellite and is progressing towards certification with the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) constellation.
Ana Belรฉn Buendรญa, Head of Indraโs Naval Business Unit, stated: โour systems enable superior situational awareness and intelligence-gathering capabilities and prepare submarines to act as key assets in modern multidomain operations, while simultaneously enhancing their stealth and survivability.โ
Indra also showcased its PEGASO Full Digital solutions, providing early warning, surveillance and detection capabilities to support survivability and the collection of ELINT and COMINT intelligence.
Training and simulation systems were also a focus, supporting crew preparation and mission rehearsal โwith the highest level of realism,โ reflecting growing demand for operational readiness in more complex and contested environments.
Visiongain estimates the global military simulation, modelling and virtual training market will grow from $18.81 billion in 2026 to $38.85 billion by 2036.
Maintenance and support services also featured prominently, aimed at maximising operational availability and extending platform lifecycles in line with NATO requirements. This reflects a wider shift towards increasing fleet effectiveness and operational impact, rather than expanding fleet size alone. Information advantage is becoming a core component of undersea capability.
Autonomy at scale: XLAUV and LUUV platforms
Autonomous systems remained central across the exhibition floor, with a clear shift towards larger, more capable platforms.
BAE Systems presented its Herne Extra Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (XLAUV), a modular, highly configurable platform designed to extend operational reach, reduce reliance on and risk to high-value crewed platforms and critical resources, and enable navies to cover more of the underwater battlespace.
Positioned at the leading edge of the battlespace, Herne provides a new military capability across mission types, including anti-submarine warfare, protection of critical infrastructure and ISR operations.
The platform integrates advances in battery, propulsion and autonomous control, reflecting a shift towards deployable, long-endurance systems.
At its core is BAE Systemsโ Nautomate autonomous control system, with the vehicle expected to become the first XLAUV certified to the UMS Code and the first unmanned submersible classed under the SDS rules.
Lloydโs Register is leading certification, providing โa robust and structured pathway to ensure the safety and reliability of large uncrewed submersibles.โ
Key capabilities include rapid mission reconfiguration, low acoustic signature design, secure communications, flexible payload integration and advanced navigation systems. Its modular architecture supports payloads such as remotely operated vehicles, advanced sonar systems and range extension modules.
The platform also supports secure integration into wider digital battlespace networks, reflecting the growing importance of interoperability and data sharing in undersea operations.
In parallel, Saab showcased its Large Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (LUUV), developed under contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), with sea trials expected in summer 2026.
The platform is designed as a sensor-led system for monitoring seabed infrastructure and detecting underwater threats. Saab will integrate its Autonomous Ocean Core system, enabling advanced autonomy both on and below the surface.
The programme brings together Saab, the Swedish Armed Forces and FMV, reflecting a collaborative approach to advancing autonomous capability. The platform will not include weapon systems in its initial phase, focusing instead on sensing, monitoring and decision support.
Jesper Fahlรฉn of FMV stated: โThe craft will, among other things, have the ability to monitor large areas unmanned and autonomously.โ
He added: โBy working agile with the test operations, we explore the opportunities that technology provides.โ
The programme will also inform future use of LUUV platforms launched and recovered from submarines, pointing to new operating concepts in undersea warfare.
While Herne reflects a move towards deployable, mission-ready capability, Saabโs LUUV programme highlights continued experimentation in how larger autonomous platforms will be integrated into future force structures.
Together, these developments point to a shift towards persistent, distributed undersea operations, where coverage and endurance are prioritised over platform concentration.
This is reflected in broader market growth. The global naval USV and UUV market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.2% between 2026 and 2036, accelerating further in the latter half of the decade, as autonomy moves into sustained demand.
Infrastructure protection and system-of-systems approaches
Fincantieri presented developments in both platform and infrastructure protection capabilities.
The U212 Near Future Submarine programme for the Italian Navy will include a mine-laying capability, with technical configuration expected to be finalised in 2026 ahead of deliveries from 2029.
Alongside this, Fincantieri showcased the DEEP system, a modular, scalable and cyber-secure โsystem of systemsโ designed to protect and monitor critical underwater infrastructure, as well as safeguard the marine environment.
The system has already been installed for demonstration at the Italian Navyโs Naval Support and Experimentation Centre (CSSN) in La Spezia, indicating a move towards operational deployment.
The system integrates:
Within this architecture, AUV platforms, including systems from the X300 family, combine sonar, optical sensing and real-time computing to enable continuous monitoring and rapid response.
This approach reflects a broader shift towards layered, system-level protection of critical infrastructure, rather than platform-led defence.
Market implications: Visiongain Insight
UDT 2026 confirms a shift in the undersea domain from platform development to operational capability at scale.
Autonomy is no longer a standalone innovation. It is being integrated into wider system architectures alongside sensing, communications, and data processing to enable persistent and distributed undersea operations.
At the same time, infrastructure protection is reshaping demand. Subsea cables, energy assets and maritime chokepoints are moving higher up the priority list, driving investment in monitoring, early warning and rapid response systems.
The growing emphasis on certification, training and lifecycle support reflects a market moving towards maturity. Capability is no longer defined by what can be developed, but by what can be deployed, sustained and integrated into existing force structures.
For suppliers, this shifts the competitive landscape. Advantage will come from delivering interoperable systems, integrating rapidly across platforms and supporting long-term operational readiness, rather than from individual platforms alone.
For governments and procurement teams, the challenge is moving from programme intent to deployable capability at pace, while balancing innovation with reliability and scale.
Follow Visiongainโs ongoing undersea and maritime coverage: Market Watch: UDT 2026 Special Edition
From Visiongain
Visiongainโs latest Undersea Defence Infrastructure & Security Market Report 2026โ2036 examines how rising threats to subsea assets, increasing naval activity and advances in sensing, surveillance and protection systems are reshaping the undersea battlespace.
The global undersea defence infrastructure & security market is expected to grow from US$29.47bn in 2026 to US$56.75bn by 2036, at a 6.8% CAGR.
To understand where long-term demand is emerging and how governments and suppliers are positioning to secure critical infrastructure, request sample pages.
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