Helsing’s AI-powered underwater surveillance system enhances maritime security

Helsing’s new AI-powered underwater surveillance system introduces a significant advancement in maritime security technology. Developed for detecting enemy submarines and ships, the system combines the company’s Lura artificial intelligence with SG-1 Fathom drones to create an autonomous network capable of continuous monitoring for months. This innovation emerges as NATO continues to strengthen maritime security in European waters, particularly in the North and Baltic Seas, where detecting underwater threats has become increasingly critical for protecting critical infrastructure.

The big picture: Germany-based defense technology company Helsing has unveiled an AI-powered underwater drone surveillance network designed to detect submarines and vessels at sea for extended periods.

• The system combines the company’s Lura artificial intelligence with Fathom drones that can operate underwater for up to three months at a time.
• Helsing demonstrated the technology last week at Portsmouth Naval Base in England and expects to deploy the capability within the year.

Key capabilities: Lura processes acoustic data from the drones using a large-scale model that detects and categorizes underwater threats based on their unique signatures.

• According to Helsing, the AI can detect acoustic signatures “10 times quieter than other AI models” and can differentiate between specific vessels within the same class.
• The system processes information up to 40 times faster than human analysts, significantly accelerating threat detection timelines.

Deployment strategy: The Fathom drones feature swarming capabilities, allowing hundreds to patrol underwater environments simultaneously across strategic maritime areas.

• Potential deployment regions include the North and Baltic seas, where NATO is currently conducting its Baltic Sentry mission focused on securing critical undersea infrastructure.
• The technology complements NATO’s existing AI initiatives like the Mainsail software tool, which flags suspicious vessels by analyzing maritime traffic patterns.

Why this matters: The ability to deploy persistent, AI-powered underwater surveillance represents a significant advancement in countering increasingly sophisticated maritime threats.

• Advanced militaries already collect intelligence on adversary ships through acoustic and wake signatures, but AI automation dramatically expands detection capabilities.
• As Helsing co-founder Gundbert Scherf stated, “Deploying AI to the edge of underwater constellations will illuminate the oceans and deter our adversaries for a strong Europe.”