The seas of tomorrow may see underwater security fundamentally transformed as AI collides with autonomous undersea gliders to produce intelligent fleets of mobile sensors that could redefine naval intelligence as they seek out ocean threats. Munich-based Helsing has unveiled a new underwater surveillance system based on its products, the Lura software platform and the SG-1 Fathom sea glider.
Lura is an AI system that does for acoustics what Large Language Models do for words. Using decades of acoustic data for training that is consistently updated, Lura's Large Acoustic Model is capable of detecting not only threat patterns and interpreting a vast array of underwater noises in real-time but also identifying individual craft by their unique acoustic signatures.
The Fathom sea glider is an autonomous underwater vehicle that can operate independently of human control as it executes pre-planned missions to serve as a mobile sensor platform feeding data to Lura. As a sea glider, Fathom propels itself by rising close to the surface using changes in water buoyancy, then uses foils to move itself forward and steer in the desired direction as it sinks silently and stealthily back into the depths.
The Lura/Fathom system could be a considerable update on the US SOSUS system that dates back to the Cold War, as well as other undersea monitoring systems. According to Helsing, the goal is to create a digital twin of the ocean by means of a continuous, comprehensive data stream about underwater traffic and activities. This would allow for a more refined surveillance capability that is autonomous, scalable, and data-driven that can quickly detect and aid in countering escalating undersea threats.
The potential applications of this technology are vast, including protecting vital assets like undersea communications and power cables, pipelines, and oil sites, as well as monitoring potential threats and tracking maritime traffic. With the ability to mass-produce the Fathom gliders and deploy them in large numbers, whole schools of Fathoms can be used to monitor desired areas 24/7, providing real-time insights into distributions and dynamics of animals that inhabit mesopelagic waters of the ocean.
