TKMS, IAI deliver BlueWhale large autonomous underwater vehicle to German Navy

February 25, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

TKMS and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have delivered the BlueWhale large autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to the German Navy.

Credit: Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)

The handover took place at the Eckernförde naval base, marking a significant milestone for autonomous underwater systems.

BlueWhale is a mature, ‘first-of-its-kind’ fully autonomous large underwater vehicle that combines reconnaissance, sensor technology, and data fusion in a single system. Developed by IAI, TKMS and its ATLAS ELEKTRONIK segment integrated the advanced anti-submarine warfare towed sonar. BlueWhale is thus a significant joint project between TKMS and IAI.

“TKMS is consistently expanding its capabilities in the autonomous sector. We are proud to support the navy as part of its ‘Kurs Marine 2035+’ future plan and to actively respond to current security threats with our solutions. The rapid introduction of new technologies is a common goal of industry and the navy and significantly strengthens Germany’s defense capabilities,” Michael Ozegowski, Executive Vice President of TKMS ATLAS ELEKTRONIK, said.

“IAI’s autonomous systems in the air, at sea, on land and in space are in operational use that provides significant technological advantage, while improving the ability to protect the lives of combatants in the field. The delivery of the BlueWhale to the German Navy, demonstrates the close cooperation we have with TKMS ATLAS ELEKTRONIK and the degree of mutual trust between Israel and Germany,” Boaz Levy, CEO and President of IAI, commented.

BlueWhale was developed to support the German Navy in unmanned antisubmarine warfare and covert maritime missions. The AUV acts as an extended sensor arm for manned platforms, operating autonomously over long periods of time and covering large areas of sea.

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Vessels

The vehicle is capable of conducting reconnaissance operations, detecting targets above and below the sea surface, collecting acoustic information, and locating sea mines on the seabed. The delivery of BlueWhale follows intensive testing in the Baltic Sea.