U.S. Navy Lanternfish exercise tests new underwater drone detection technology

During the U.S. Navy’s Lanternfish 2026 exercise, industry partners demonstrated new acoustic technologies designed to detect and track unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). The exercise, which involved personnel and partners from the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, aimed to improve undersea interoperability under AUKUS Pillar II.

Ultra Maritime showcased an integrated active-passive sonar architecture. This system combines its Sea Spear passive array with the SSQ-125B active sonobuoy to provide persistent surveillance and localization of UUVs in contested maritime environments. The technology is intended for use in protecting critical infrastructure, maritime choke points, and long-duration surveillance.

Additionally, ThayerMahan reported that its ShorePicket and Outpost sensing systems successfully detected, classified, and tracked various classes of UUVs during the exercise, ranging from small six-inch vehicles to extra-large unmanned underwater vehicles (XLUUVs). ThayerMahan’s Outpost system utilizes a large-aperture towed sonar array deployed from an unmanned surface vessel, capable of operating for more than 90 days.