L3Harris delivered three new Iver Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) for the Royal Navy’s Project Wilton to support unmanned mine hunting and survey operations. The robotic boats detect and neutralize underwater mines without putting sailors at risk, advancing maritime autonomous systems within the UK Navy.
The Iver4 580 vehicles, along with hot-swappable aft sections, are now in the hands of the UK’s Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) program and the Zulu Squadron. This delivery is crucial as it allows operations at depths of up to 300 meters and enables near-continuous mission deployment. Following the delivery of the vehicles, the team spent the subsequent week trialing them to help sailors familiarize themselves with the additional capabilities offered by the Iver4 AUVs.
Project Wilton employs AUVs for mine hunting and surveying operations. L3Harris’ Iver AUVs are equipped with high-accuracy navigation sensors and advanced communication systems for surface tracking. They employ a collaborative autonomy architecture and automatic target recognition. The Royal Navy uses these Iver vehicles for unmanned mine hunting and various missions, conducting route survey operations in UK waters and international areas to ensure safe navigation for both commercial and military shipping.
The proven capabilities and real-world maritime mission experience of L3Harris’ AUVs highlight the value of autonomy in addressing current operational gaps in maritime operations.
L3Harris is also advancing new operational concepts to enhance the effectiveness of warfighters and is providing manned-unmanned solutions today. As the Trusted Disruptor, L3Harris is expanding undersea capabilities and addressing threats by rapidly delivering innovative technology to meet immediate operational needs.
