DSEI 2025: German Greyshark AUV Designed to Protect Undersea Cables and Critical Infrastructure.

At the DSEI 2025 exhibition in London, EUROATLAS presents its new Greyshark autonomous underwater system, developed to address the growing vulnerability of critical maritime infrastructure. The sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022 and subsequent incidents affecting subsea cables in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea highlighted the strategic importance of these networks. Against this backdrop, the German company has designed an autonomous underwater vehicle intended for surveillance, mine countermeasures, and intelligence gathering.
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The system carries a suite of 17 sensors, including synthetic aperture sonar, multibeam sonars, electromagnetic and optical sensors, and a laser imaging and measurement system (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The Greyshark is available in two versions: the Bravo, powered by lithium-ion batteries, and the Foxtrot, equipped with a fuel cell system. The Bravo measures 6.5 meters and weighs 3.5 tons, while the Foxtrot reaches nearly 8 meters and 4.5 tons to accommodate hydrogen fuel cells supplied by the automotive industry. The Foxtrot variant is notable for its 16-week endurance in continuous submersion, covering up to 11,000 nautical miles without surfacing. At higher speeds, endurance decreases to a few days, but at lower speeds or when stationary on the seabed, the vehicle can remain operational for several months.

The system carries a suite of 17 sensors, including synthetic aperture sonar, multibeam sonars, electromagnetic and optical sensors, and a laser imaging and measurement system. Artificial intelligence developed in partnership with the Berlin-based company EvoLogics manages data fusion, navigation, and real-time mission adaptation. The AUVs can change their objectives during operations, shifting for example from cable inspection to submarine detection without human intervention.

The Greyshark can be transported in a standard 40-foot container and deployed from a port, a vessel, or even parachuted from a cargo aircraft. Communication with the surface is provided by a telescopic antenna equipped with a military-grade radio and anti-jamming satellite navigation, while acoustic modems enable exchanges over distances of up to 10 nautical miles. This communication capability supports swarm operations, where multiple units coordinate to deliver wide-area monitoring. The AUV can also recharge via subsea induction and is intended to eventually operate at depths of up to 4,000 meters.

In May 2025, the Greyshark Bravo was exhibited for the first time in Asia at the IMDEX show in Singapore, confirming EUROATLAS’s interest in the Indo-Pacific market. The company highlights the system’s ITAR-free status, free from U.S. export restrictions, which is seen as an advantage for international sales. Compared with the Australian Ghost Shark program developed by Anduril, the Greyshark differs through its use of a flooded hull instead of a pressure hull, reducing its sonar signature.

In August 2025, EUROATLAS announced the integration of Greyshark into Rheinmetall’s Battlesuite command platform. This digital architecture is designed to link sensors, AUVs, and land and naval assets in a system-of-systems approach. The vehicle’s maneuverability and speed of up to 12 knots allow it to undertake a range of missions, from intelligence gathering to coastal patrols and mine warfare. The company plans annual production of 150 units starting in 2026, with NATO and its partners as primary customers.

Greyshark reflects a broader trend among European defense manufacturers, where companies such as EUROATLAS, EvoLogics, and Rheinmetall seek to strengthen autonomous undersea defense capabilities. The spread of such vehicles marks a strategic shift as the protection of subsea cables and critical infrastructure becomes a shared priority. With 98 percent of global data traffic and 15 percent of world trade dependent on vulnerable seabed networks, the rise of Greyshark positions its German manufacturer at the center of efforts to secure the Arctic, the Baltic, the Red Sea, and other strategic maritime chokepoints.