Spear AI Raises Funding to Apply AI to Submarine Data
A startup founded by U.S. Navy veterans aiming to help the U.S. military use artificial intelligence to decipher data gathered by submarines has raised its first round of outside capital.Washington-based Spear AI specializes in working with what is known as passive acoustic data, which is gathered by listening devices underwater. Its long-term aim is to use AI to help submarine operators understand whether an object heard could be a rain squall, a whale, or a vessel that could be a threat, and to detect where it is and how fast it is moving.The challenge is that most existing AI tools are trained
Lloyd’s Register Secures In-Service Submarine Contract to Support UK MOD
Lloyd's Register (LR) has announced a milestone in its naval assurance services, having secured a 12-month in-service submarine support contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) through the Aurora Framework.Under the new contract, LR will provide experienced surveyors to His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, providing expert support to the Royal Navy’s submarines. In parallel, LR will offer technical consultancy from MOD Abbey Wood, delivering strategic advice. This dual-location presence ensures responsive, on-the-ground service backed by technical expertise.This contract reflects
Kongsberg Discovery Starts AUV Production in the US
Kongsberg Discovery has decided to start production of HUGIN, an autonomous underwater vehicle, in the U.S. This decision reflects the commitment to supporting the growing demand for advanced subsea technology in the U.S. market."By establishing domestic production capabilities, we aim to strengthen our U.S.-based supply chain and enhance our responsiveness to the evolving needs of our government and commercial customers. This demand has increased as global tension has risen," said Martin Wien Fjell, President of Kongsberg Discovery.Kongsberg Discovery have already delivered HUGIN to the U.S.
Saronic, Vigor Form Alliance to Advance Autonomous Maritime Capabilities
Saronic Technologies and Vigor Marine Group have entered into a strategic partnership focused on rapidly advancing the delivery of autonomous maritime capabilities and strengthening operational support for defense and commercial customers.The partnership brings together two trusted maritime innovators with complementary capabilities, whose combined expertise can help support U.S. government and commercial customers in a rapidly changing environment.Vigor brings decades of experience in complex aluminum and small vessel fabrication, while Saronic, as one of the fastest-growing defense technology
Fincantieri Embarks on Research Project to Protect Subsea Cables and Pipelines
The Fincantieri Foundation and Luiss Guido Carli University have launched a research initiative aimed at defining regulatory frameworks and developing operational solutions to protect subsea cables and pipelines.The project, dubbed SUBCAP - SUBsea CAbles Protection, will promote multilevel, multidisciplinary legal research to establish a regulatory framework for the protection of critical subsea infrastructure.It will be carried out by the Luiss research center “Law and Governance: Compliance, Security and Sustainability,” chaired by Professor Paola Severino.The project aligns with Fincantie
General Dynamics Electric Boat Awarded $1.85 billion Contract Modification For Submarine Production
Electric Boat, a business unit of General Dynamics, announced that it was awarded a $1.85 billion contract modification to a previously awarded contract supporting submarine production. This modification is for long lead time material and preliminary construction efforts for submarine production, as detailed in the June 26 U.S. Department of Defense contract award announcement.“This contract modification allows for the acquisition of critical material and components for Virginia-class submarines that require substantial lead time to manufacture and deliver. It sends a continued
HII Launches Virginia-class Submarine Arkansas
HII announced that Virginia-class submarine Arkansas (SSN 800) was recently launched into the James River at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division.Shipbuilders transferred the submarine from a construction facility to the floating dry dock, where it was launched and moved by tugboats to a submarine pier at the shipyard for final outfitting, testing and crew certification.The ship’s sponsors are the six women of the historic group known as the Little Rock Nine, the first African American students to attend all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, during
KIMM Cracks the Code for Underwater Radiated Noise Prediction
Researchers in South Korea at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) have reportedly developed a hull-attached sensor-based system for predicting underwater radiated noise (URN), a key factor in naval stealth operations.KIMM Develops First Hull-Attached Sensor System for Predicting Underwater Radiated NoiseNew algorithm predicts underwater noise in real timeBoosts naval stealth and operational efficiencyThe new technology allows real-time monitoring of underwater noise levels generated by naval vessels, enabling early detection of abnormal vibrations and improving operational efficiency
February 2025
