L3Harris Technologies has received an Other Transaction Authority contract from the US Department of War’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to deliver the Torpedo Tube Launch and Recovery (TTLR) system, which deploys and retrieves the company’s Iver4 900 autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) through submarine torpedo tubes.
“The Torpedo Tube Launch and Recovery system is not a future capability, it’s answering combatant commander needs today,” L3Harris, President, Maritime, Space & Mission Systems, Nino DiCosmo, stated.
US and allied navies have validated the system to conduct intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, mine detection and seabed warfare missions without surfacing or exposing personnel to risk.
“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," DiCosmo highlighted.
According to the company, the modular TTLR system multiplies force capacity from existing submarine hulls. The system allegedly delivers the first US Navy submarine- and aviation-approved AUV lithium-ion battery technology.