UK’s uncrewed experimental sub shows it can fire torpedoes

A British uncrewed submarine has successfully test-fired a torpedo for the first time, demonstrating the capability of undersea drones to engage targets in addition to their roles in reconnaissance and surveillance. The XV Excalibur, a 12-meter experimental underwater vehicle (UUV), was unveiled last year as the Royal Navy's first large submarine drone as part of the AUKUS program, a security partnership involving Australia, the UK, and the US.

This test firing was part of the AUKUS initiative and involved the Excalibur launching a heavyweight torpedo jointly developed by the US and Australia, likely the Mk 48 torpedo carried by all US Navy submarines. This marks the first time either the US or UK has launched a torpedo from an underwater drone, as opposed to a crewed submarine.

The autonomous Excalibur navigated to its launch position and executed a pre-programmed launch sequence, but did not detect or track the target, as the target data was provided through external systems. While the vehicle lacks torpedo tubes, its midships payload bay is limited in size, suggesting the weapon may have been transported via a cradle attached to the sub's underside.

The Ministry of Defence has not provided further details regarding the trials using the British Spearfish torpedo in place of the Mk 48, but the company behind the vehicle, Plymouth-based MSubs Ltd, recently secured a £6.7 million contract to continue trials and evaluations of Excalibur for the Royal Navy. These tests come as the UK Prime Minister announced a new AI and Autonomy partnership with the US, aimed at protecting critical national infrastructure and deterring adversaries using advanced AI technology developed jointly.