Newswire / Brief
Royal Navy Successfully Launches Torpedo From Uncrewed Submarine XV Excalibur in Historic Trial
The Royal Navy conducted a historic trial off Scotland, successfully firing a torpedo from the uncrewed submarine XV Excalibur. This milestone event, part of the AUKUS agreement, utilized an adapted Extra-Large Uncrewed Underwater Vessel (XLUUV) to control a US Navy Mk48 Mod 4 Heavyweight Torpedo. The trial, completed in six months, aims to develop uncrewed systems for undersea warfare operations without risking personnel and is the first in a series of US-initiated trials to deploy such capabilities globally.
Why it matters
This trial paves the way for a step change in underwater lethality and demonstrates the integration of uncrewed systems with crewed warships.
Source: Naval News — read the original
Source published 30 Sept 2026, 11:53 UTC