The US Navy is advancing its undersea warfare capabilities with a new system that allows submarines to launch and recover autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) without surfacing.
Under an Other Transaction Authority contract, the Defense Innovation Unit has tasked L3Harris Technologies to supply the Torpedo Tube Launch and Recovery (TTLR) system.
The TTLR enables submarines to deploy and recover the company’s Iver4 900 AUVs safely, supporting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, mine detection, and other seabed warfare missions.
“Our system is the first to successfully launch and recover AUVs from a submarine, providing commanders flexibility for persistent undersea operations and maintaining essential stealth,” said Nino DiCosmo, L3Harris President on Maritime, Space & Mission Systems.
TTLR
The TTLR is a modular system that can integrate with existing submarine hulls from different classes and allied platforms.
It uses lithium-ion batteries for extended duration missions — marked as the first such technology to be approved for US Navy submarines and aviation purposes — and features a hot-swap capability for continuous operations.
Moreover, the TTLR aligns with the navy’s manned-unmanned teaming vision.
On a broader level, the system also supports the AUKUS security partnership’s second pillar, which is about accelerating advanced military technology among Australia, the UK, and the US.
Iver4 AUV
Iver4 900 is a compact, lightweight AUV about 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) long, with a 9‑inch (23-centimeter) carbon‑fiber hull, weighing under 230 pounds (104 kilograms).
It can dive to about 300 meters (984 feet) and run for 40+ nautical miles (74 kilometers/46 miles) on NiMH batteries or over 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers/92 miles) on lithium‑ion, depending on payload and water current.
The UK also operates a similar AUV, the Iver4 580, for unmanned minehunting and survey operations.
