Helsing Validates Fathom-Lura Integrated UUV System in At-Sea Trials

European defense AI company Helsing has successfully completed a series of at-sea trials integrating its Lura artificial intelligence (AI) mission system with Cellula Robotics’ Fathom autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). Conducted off the coast of British Columbia earlier this year and showcased at DSEI 2025 in London, the trials mark a significant milestone in the development of modular and AI-enabled undersea intelligence-gathering capabilities for NATO-aligned navies.

Fusing Autonomy with Intelligence: The Lura-Fathom Integration

The trialed system combines Cellula Robotics’ Fathom AUV, a hydrogen fuel cell-powered large-displacement uncrewed underwater vehicle (LDUUV), with Lura, Helsing’s onboard AI mission software designed for real-time sensor fusion and adaptive decision-making. The integration enables the AUV to autonomously detect, classify, and track objects of interest using onboard processing—without requiring persistent communication links to operators.

The Lura software stack was containerized and deployed directly on Fathom’s onboard compute hardware. During the trials, it processed data from synthetic aperture sonar (SAS), side-scan sonar (SSS), inertial navigation systems (INS), and other onboard sensors to autonomously identify targets and adapt mission parameters in real time. This capability is particularly relevant for contested environments where GNSS denial or comms degradation is expected.

Trial Objectives and Operational Scenarios

The primary goal of the at-sea evaluations was to validate:

Robustness of onboard AI processing in dynamic maritime conditions
Sensor fusion performance across multiple sonar modalities
Autonomous target recognition and re-tasking ability without operator input
Endurance validation using hydrogen fuel cell propulsion

The trials simulated a range of mission profiles including seabed mapping, mine-like object detection (MLO), and persistent surveillance. According to Helsing representatives at DSEI 2025, the system demonstrated successful classification of synthetic targets placed on the seabed using only onboard analysis—no post-mission data review was required for initial identification.

Platform Overview: Cellula’s Fathom LDUUV

The Fathom AUV platform, developed by Canadian firm Cellula Robotics Ltd., is a long-endurance uncrewed underwater vehicle powered by a hydrogen fuel cell system offering multi-week submerged operations. Key specifications include:

Length: ~12 meters
Displacement: Approx. 10 tons
Endurance: Up to 30 days submerged depending on payload configuration
Sensors: Synthetic aperture sonar (SAS), side-scan sonar (SSS), CTD probes, DVL/INS navigation suite
Cargo Bay: Modular payload bay for mission packages or additional sensors/effects

The use of hydrogen fuel cells enables quiet propulsion with minimal acoustic signature—a key advantage for covert ISR or mine countermeasure operations. The platform is designed with modularity in mind; its open architecture allows rapid integration of third-party software stacks like Lura without major redesigns.

Lura Mission System: Tactical Autonomy for Undersea ISR

Lura, developed by Helsing specifically for naval applications, is an edge-deployable AI stack focused on enabling tactical autonomy in denied environments. It supports real-time sensor fusion from EO/IR cameras, radar/sonar modalities, and inertial/GNSS navigation inputs. For undersea applications like those demonstrated during these trials, Lura’s key features include:

Synthetic aperture sonar interpretation via deep learning models trained on real-world datasets
Anomaly detection algorithms capable of identifying non-natural seabed features indicative of mines or infrastructure sabotage devices
Tactical re-planning engine that adapts route/mode based on detected threats or mission changes—all without human intervention during execution phase
Agnostic deployment model compatible with various UxV platforms via containerized architecture (Docker/Kubernetes)

This approach aligns with broader trends across NATO navies seeking resilient ISR assets that can operate independently when communications are jammed or spoofed—a growing concern given adversary EW capabilities in both littoral and blue-water theaters.

NATO Interest and Future Roadmap Toward Operationalization

The joint demonstration attracted attention from several NATO-aligned maritime forces including representatives from the UK Royal Navy’s NavyX innovation unit as well as procurement officials from Norway and Canada. While no formal acquisition has been announced yet as of September 2025, Helsing confirmed that discussions are underway regarding further operational evaluations within European waters later this year.

Ahead lies potential integration into multi-domain task groups where such UUVs could act as forward ISR nodes feeding into distributed maritime operations concepts alongside surface USVs and aerial UAVs. Potential use cases include:

Beneath-the-horizon surveillance near critical infrastructure such as undersea cables or offshore energy platforms
MCM roles where autonomous classification reduces risk to manned MCM vessels/divers
Deniable reconnaissance missions in high-risk EEZs or contested choke points like GIUK Gap or Baltic Sea approaches

If adopted into service pipelines by NATO navies over the next two years—as part of evolving uncrewed maritime strategies—the Lura-Fathom pairing could represent a leap forward in persistent autonomous undersea sensing capabilities.

Strategic Implications for Maritime Autonomy Programs Across Europe and North America

This trial underscores growing momentum behind collaborative transatlantic development efforts between European software firms like Helsing and North American hardware OEMs such as Cellula Robotics. It also reflects an increasing shift toward sovereign autonomy stacks that reduce reliance on centralized data centers or vulnerable satellite links during operations.

The success also positions both firms competitively within upcoming procurement programs such as Canada’s Future Naval Capability initiative or Norway’s uncrewed systems roadmap post-2030. Moreover, it aligns with UK Defence Equipment & Support’s push toward integrating uncrewed systems into Royal Navy formations under Project HECLA (Hydrographic Environmental Capability).

Conclusion: Toward Autonomous Maritime ISR at Scale

The completion of these sea trials signals not just technical maturity but operational relevance for modular UUV-AI integrations like Fathom-Lura. As navies seek scalable solutions for persistent ISR below the surface—especially amid rising submarine activity globally—such systems may soon transition from prototypes to deployed assets across NATO fleets.