Germany Develops First Submarine-Launched Surface Drone for Silent Recon and Strike Roles.

According to information published by the German Naval Company Gabler, on August 20, 2025, a partnership has been concluded with the maritime robotics company FLANQ to co-develop a new generation of submarine-launched uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs). The announcement, made at DALO Industry Days 2025 in Ballerup, Denmark, underscores a major evolution in subsea warfare capabilities with the goal of transforming standard submarine torpedo tubes into launch platforms for autonomous surface systems.
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The picture represents a hypothetical modular uncrewed surface vehicle launched from standard submarine torpedo tubes, capable of long-range ISR, electronic warfare, and strike missions while preserving the stealth of the host platform (Picture source: Army Recognition edit).

The platform under development is based on a modular architecture that fits within the NATO-standard 533mm torpedo tube form factor. The vehicle will feature a folding control fin and mast structure to allow compact storage and launch, expanding once on the surface. Both the expendable and recoverable variants will use the same hydrodynamic hull, approximately 5 to 6 meters in length, with a displacement under 800 kilograms. The platform is expected to have a surface range exceeding 200 nautical miles and an operational endurance of up to 36 hours for the ISR configuration. Navigation will be enabled by an autonomous mission system with GPS-denied capability through inertial navigation and AI-driven situational awareness. Communication options include surface-to-air datalinks, satellite relay, and burst underwater acoustics for limited submarine interface. Payload capacity will vary by mission but early prototypes are reported to support modular bays for electro-optical infrared sensors, electronic warfare suites, lightweight loitering munitions, or decoy systems.

This submarine-compatible USV concept is highly relevant to a number of NATO and allied navies seeking to upgrade the mission flexibility of their existing diesel-electric and nuclear submarine fleets. The German Navy, a likely early adopter, operates the Type 212A and new 212CD submarines, both featuring modern combat systems well suited to integrating such modular payloads. Other potential customers include the Royal Netherlands Navy, which is pursuing future submarine options with enhanced multi-mission capability, as well as Norway, Italy, and South Korea, all of which field torpedo-tube-equipped submarines and have shown interest in autonomous force multipliers. For navies with limited budgets or constrained acquisition cycles, the Gabler-FLANQ system offers a cost-effective upgrade path without needing to modify the submarine hull or invest in dedicated USV support ships.

Submarine-launched USVs can be deployed from underwater and remain undetected while surfacing to perform missions in forward or denied areas. For ISR missions, they extend the sensor reach of submarines by hundreds of nautical miles without compromising their stealth posture. In strike configurations, expendable USVs can deliver stand-off effects such as launching loitering munitions, jamming enemy radar, or simulating naval signatures without exposing manned platforms. This drastically changes the risk equation in contested littoral zones, allowing submarines to shape the battlespace before revealing their presence. Moreover, in hybrid warfare or peacetime reconnaissance scenarios, uncrewed assets can collect intelligence or conduct influence operations with plausible deniability, offering policymakers more flexibility in the escalation ladder.

Gabler will lead systems integration, mechanical interfacing, and delivery, leveraging decades of experience in submarine mast and launch system design. FLANQ, for its part, will oversee design engineering, AI-enabled autonomy, and payload integration. A full-scale prototype is already under assembly with initial sea trials scheduled for mid-2026. The partners aim to showcase the system during NATO’s 2026 Joint Warrior exercise, potentially marking the first-ever torpedo tube-launched USV demonstration in an allied operational scenario.