Israel Aerospace Industries BlueWhale autonomous submarine joins NATO exercise.

According to information published by IAI on September 28, 2023, the Israeli company teamed up with Germany's Atlas Elektronik to introduce the BlueWhale autonomous submarine during the NATO exercise, REPMUS23.
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BlueWhale Autonomous Submarine System. (Picture source: IAI)

 The BlueWhale is an autonomous submarine system, labeled as ELI-3325. Designed for operations in various maritime environments, this submarine can function without human operators on board.

Recently, the BlueWhale participated in a NATO anti-submarine exercise where it was tasked with several operations. These activities covered submarine detection, acoustic intelligence collection, and the identification of both maritime and coastal targets. It was noteworthy that this was the first time an autonomous submarine took part in such an exercise.

In terms of specifications, the BlueWhale has a length of 10.9 meters and a diameter of 1.12 meters. It weighs approximately 5.5 tons. Depending on the nature of its mission and battery status, it can operate for up to 30 days.

Its submerged operational speed ranges from 2-3 knots, with a maximum speed of 7 knots. The submarine is equipped with various sensors, including RADAR, EO/IR, SIGINT, and sonars.

It also incorporates magnetic sensors and SATCOM for communication, facilitating the transmission of data to its command and control center through a satellite channel.

The BlueWhale is capable of performing several functions. It can detect submarines using its Towed Array Sonar (TAS), gather acoustic intelligence, detect mines, and carry out operations related to Littoral ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance). It can also serve as a forward scout for submarines and aid Special Forces in specific tasks.