Overview

• BAE Systems confirmed a decade-long exclusive collaboration with Canada’s Cellula Robotics to continue developing Herne, announced on September 10.
• Herne executed a pre-programmed ISR mission in November 2024 using BAE’s platform-agnostic Nautomate control system, informing ongoing design refinements.
• BAE describes mission roles spanning anti-submarine warfare, covert surveillance, and seabed infrastructure monitoring, with the craft operating independently or alongside crewed vessels.
• The team cites a rapid “whiteboard to water” timeline of about 11 months with trials in the UK and Canada, and they aim to deliver a market-ready craft by the end of 2026.
• BAE reports features such as containerized transport in a 40‑foot unit and up to 5,000 km range, 45 days endurance, and 5,000 m depth, while Cellula highlights hydrogen-based power as an endurance enabler.