Lockheed Martin Expands Naval Warfare Portfolio with Lamprey MMAUV Multi-Mission Underwater Drone.

At Euronaval 2026 in Paris, Lockheed Martin's expanding naval defense portfolio includes the Lamprey Multi-Mission Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (MMAUV), a new-generation unmanned underwater system developed for surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, electronic deception, and seabed operations. Unlike conventional underwater drones primarily designed for reconnaissance or mine countermeasures, Lamprey is intended to carry weapons and mission equipment, including torpedoes and aerial drones, allowing naval forces to conduct multiple missions from a single autonomous vehicle.

Lockheed Martin's Lamprey MMAUV is an autonomous underwater drone designed for surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and seabed operations, and can carry torpedoes, aerial drones, and electronic warfare payloads. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

The Lamprey represents a development in Lockheed Martin's approach to distributed naval warfare, where smaller unmanned systems can operate independently of major surface combatants and submarines. Introduced in February 2026, the vehicle combines autonomous underwater navigation with a modular payload compartment, enabling different configurations for intelligence collection, electronic warfare, and offensive missions.

One of the system's defining characteristics is how it reaches an operational area. Rather than relying entirely on its own batteries during transit, Lamprey is designed to attach to the exterior of a surface vessel or submarine. Built-in hydrogenerators recharge its batteries while the host vessel is moving. The underwater drone can subsequently detach and conduct its assigned mission using the energy retained during transportation.

Operationally, this concept could reduce a principal limitation of autonomous underwater vehicles: the trade-off between transit distance and mission endurance. A battery-powered vehicle traveling independently over long distances consumes energy before reaching its intended patrol area. Lamprey's proposed transport arrangement would allow it to conserve more power for surveillance, maneuvering, and payload deployment once it reaches the mission zone.

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The naval drone has an internal payload bay providing 24 cubic feet, approximately 0.68 cubic meters, of space for mission-specific equipment. Its open architecture allows different combinations of sensors, decoys, torpedoes, and unmanned aerial vehicle launch systems. This flexibility lets operators adapt the vehicle to different naval tasks without developing a separate underwater drone for each mission.

The LampreyMMAUV™ multi-mission autonomous undersea vehicle is a new class of smart, stealthy, do-it-all submersibles built to disrupt and deny enemy forces at sea.

Lamprey Combines Undersea Surveillance with Torpedo and Aerial Drone Mission Options

In an anti-submarine warfare configuration, Lamprey is designed to carry torpedoes to engage hostile underwater targets. Such a configuration could support distributed anti-submarine operations by positioning unmanned weapon carriers in areas where deploying a manned submarine would involve greater operational risk.

Another configuration involves launching short-range aerial drones from the sea surface. The underwater vehicle could approach a designated maritime area while submerged, then deploy an aerial UAV for reconnaissance or strike missions. This would add a means of linking underwater operations with surveillance and potential engagements above the surface.

The operational significance of this capability lies in the ability to position surveillance assets or weapons without requiring a large naval vessel to remain close to the target area. An autonomous underwater vehicle operating ahead of a naval formation could potentially collect intelligence, monitor maritime traffic, or support targeting while reducing the exposure of crewed ships.

Lamprey is also designed for electronic warfare and deception missions. By carrying decoys or other electronic payloads, the system could interfere with enemy surveillance and complicate the identification of genuine naval contacts. In a contested maritime environment, the ability to introduce false targets or disrupt sensors could support the movement of friendly warships and submarines.

Although the weapons configurations form part of Lamprey's design, they should be distinguished from capabilities demonstrated during trials. The manufacturer has confirmed autonomous maneuver and surveillance testing, but publicly available information does not establish that all proposed torpedo, aerial drone, and electronic warfare configurations have completed operational qualification.

Underwater Testing Highlights Lamprey's Potential for Future Naval Missions

Lamprey's development reached a documented milestone during the U.S. Navy's LANTERNFISH exercise in 2026, when Lockheed Martin reported that the MMAUV version 1.0 completed an underwater cable survey and placed a payload at the surveyed location. The exercise demonstrated an integrated ability to inspect a seabed location and position equipment using the same unmanned vehicle.

This capability has potential applications in seabed warfare, underwater infrastructure monitoring, and specialized maritime intelligence missions. Naval forces increasingly need systems that can operate near underwater communications cables, sensors, and other strategically important infrastructure without continuously deploying crewed submarines or specialized vessels.

For the U.S. Navy and NATO allies, Lamprey could eventually complement existing unmanned underwater vehicles by combining surveillance, payload delivery, and potential weapons employment within a single adaptable system. It also illustrates a broader shift toward distributed maritime operations, in which smaller autonomous assets can perform tasks that traditionally require larger, more expensive crewed platforms.

However, the system's operational value will depend on factors that remain publicly undisclosed, including underwater speed, maximum operating depth, mission endurance, communications performance, and integration with naval command networks. No publicly confirmed operational deployment or production contract establishes Lamprey as an in-service U.S. Navy weapon.

Within Lockheed Martin's naval warfare portfolio, Lamprey therefore represents an emerging multi-mission underwater capability rather than a fully fielded combat system. Its demonstrated seabed functions provide a basis for further development, while the proposed torpedo, aerial drone, and electronic warfare configurations suggest how autonomous underwater vehicles could play a wider role in future naval operations.

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Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.