Helsing's AI submarine becomes part of Europe's expanding fleet of ocean drones.

      Helsing, Europe’s most well-financed defence technology startup, has launched its newest product — an autonomous mini-submarine designed for underwater reconnaissance.

      Named SG-1 Fathom, this submersible is the latest addition to Europe’s expanding fleet of ocean drones, which are intended to enhance the protection of the continent’s vessels and underwater infrastructure from surveillance, sabotage, and attacks.

      Measuring 1.95 meters, the Fathom is engineered to patrol the ocean slowly for periods of up to three months. It is powered by an AI platform known as Lura, which functions as a large acoustic model (LAM) — similar to a large language model (LLM), but for sound.

      Lura can identify sounds produced by ships and submarines and accurately determine their locations. According to Helsing, the algorithm can detect sounds at volumes 10 times quieter than those recognized by competing AI models and operates at 40 times the speed of an equivalent human operator.

      Helsing stated that these “mass-producible” submarines can be deployed in substantial “constellations” to conduct extensive surveillance.

      The production of these autonomous ocean drones is set to increase significantly. Credit: Helsing

      The need for such ocean reconnaissance has become more pressing since the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline in 2022, which highlighted the vulnerability of underwater assets to covert attacks. NATO member countries have also been enhancing their maritime defenses amid escalating fears of Russian aggression.

      In Ukraine, these ocean drones are already a vital asset in the conflict against Moscow.

      High-tech arsenal

      The ongoing war in Ukraine increasingly features battles between autonomous systems, primarily unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However, similar confrontations between machines are unfolding on the seas as well.

      Earlier this month, Ukraine deployed its Magura naval drone to shoot down two Russian planes. Armed with missiles, the Magura has been extensively utilized since 2023 to target and eliminate Russian ships and aircraft.

      Moreover, Ukraine is broadening its fleet of waterborne drones. Last week, the Ukrainian firm Nordex introduced the Seawolf, an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) intended for combat, surveillance, and border security tasks.

      British firm Kraken is working on a comparable uncrewed boat capable of engaging enemies in combat or transporting cargo and personnel. Simultaneously, Denmark plans to test autonomous sailboats in the Baltic Sea to scout for potential threats.

      The increasing use of drones at sea arises amid heightened geopolitical tensions, leading European officials to fully commit to developing defence technology.

      In March 2025, EU leaders approved the “ReArm Europe” initiative, which aims to mobilize up to £683bn (€800bn) over the next four years to strengthen military capabilities. Similarly, the UK government has pledged to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, intending to allocate at least 10% of its defence budget to “innovative technologies.”

      Helsing aims to leverage this political momentum. The company informed Bloomberg last month that it has secured “over a dozen contracts” with “total order volumes in the hundreds of millions of dollars” since its establishment in 2021.

      Valued at €5bn ($5.4bn), Helsing is perhaps best recognized for its combat drones and AI software that serves as the brain for military vehicles such as fighter jets. Fathom represents its inaugural venture into ocean technology.

      Helsing has reported interest from various naval forces in its autonomous submarine and aims to deploy its first fleets of underwater drones within a year.

      Defence technology is a significant focus of the Assembly, the invite-only policy track of the TNW Conference, scheduled to take place in Amsterdam on June 19 — just a week before the NATO Summit arrives in the city.

      Tickets for the TNW Conference are now available — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 during checkout to receive a 30% discount.