Europe Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Market

The autonomous underwater vehicle market in Europe is expected to reach USD 1.74 billion by 2030, from USD 1.20 billion in 2025, with a CAGR of 7.8%. AUV demand is rising mainly due to investments in offshore wind, subsea infrastructure, and advanced maritime security. Increased dependence on autonomous systems for asset monitoring, high-resolution seabed mapping, and environmental research is further contributing to the market’s growth.

Major market players include Kongsberg (Norway), Saab AB (Sweden), BAE Systems (UK), Exail Technologies (France), and Saipem S.p.A (Italy). These players have used various organic and inorganic strategies, including acquisitions, agreements, collaborations, expansions, partnerships, and product launches, to enhance their international footprint and capture a significant share of the autonomous underwater vehicle market in Europe.

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Kongsberg is a leading technology company operating through four segments: Defence & Aerospace, Maritime, Discovery, and Digital. Among these, Kongsberg Discovery focuses on subsea and ocean technologies, producing acoustic, navigation, and positioning systems, including AUVs. Its AUV portfolio includes the HUGIN family used for seabed mapping, environmental research, and defense surveillance, and the MUNIN series designed for offshore survey and inspection. These systems are used in environmental monitoring, subsea infrastructure monitoring, and military operations. The Norwegian government holds over 50% stake in the company through the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Fisheries.

Saab AB is a defense and security company providing systems and services to governments and commercial end users. Its portfolio includes military defense, civil security, and underwater systems, among others, supported by substantial research and development and a global operational presence. Saab’s underwater system portfolio includes Sabertooth, a hybrid AUV/ROV inspection, maintenance, and repair platform available in single and double hull variants with depth ratings up to 3,000 m and subsea docking capability. Similarly, AUV62-MR is designed for autonomous mine countermeasures and seabed mapping. Tethys is a long-range autonomous underwater vehicle produced under license from MBARI for oceanographic, commercial, and defense missions. The company also supplies systems such as Sea Wasp and the electric eWROV for specialized underwater operations. Its autonomous platforms are used for mine countermeasures, hydrographic surveys, environmental monitoring, infrastructure inspection, and search-and-recovery missions.

BAE Systems is a defense, aerospace, and security company that designs, develops, and supports advanced systems for military and government customers. Its business is divided into five segments: Electronic Systems, Platforms & Services, Air, Maritime, and Cyber & Intelligence. The company provides capabilities in the air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains, including combat aircraft, naval vessels, command and control systems, and secure communication networks. Its undersea segment develops autonomous underwater systems such as Herne XLAUV and the Riptide series. These systems are designed for extended, autonomous undersea operations to support defense ISR missions and mine countermeasures. BAE focuses on engineering, integration, and lifecycle support to enhance operational readiness and maintain technological capability across its global defense portfolio.

Exail Technologies is an industrial technology company that develops and manufactures systems in robotics, maritime, navigation, aerospace, and photonics. It provides products and services for defense and civil applications, including autonomous vehicles, navigation systems, optical technologies, and training simulators. In the underwater segment, the company produces AUVs such as the A9-M and A18-M used for mine countermeasures, seabed mapping, surveillance, and environmental data collection. These vehicles are designed for integration in the multi-domain naval systems, which are compliant with NATO and cybersecurity standards. Exail maintains in-house production and research capabilities to support product development, lifecycle management, and technical support for its international clients.

Saipem S.p.A. is an engineering and construction company providing design, development, and operational services for complex energy infrastructure projects across offshore and onshore sectors. The company operates through five divisions: Offshore Drilling, Asset-based Services, Energy Carriers, Offshore Wind, and Sustainable Infrastructures. It primarily operates in engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and maintenance of industrial plants, pipelines, and subsea systems. It uses digitalized and process-driven approaches to project execution, stressing operational safety, environmental compliance, and efficiency. Saipem’s operations are supported by multiple fabrication yards and engineering centers. It enables them to serve clients across the energy transition landscape, including conventional hydrocarbons and emerging renewable and low-carbon energy solutions.

Market Ranking

The autonomous underwater vehicle market in Europe is highly competitive, with five major companies shaping technology leadership and operational capability. Kongsberg leads the market with its long-range AUV platforms with advanced mission systems that support defense, deep-sea research, and offshore energy. Saab AB follows offering strong capabilities in naval training, mine countermeasures, and high-precision underwater surveillance. BAE Systems maintains a strong regional position by integrating autonomous underwater technologies in its maritime portfolio, enhancing mission endurance and situational awareness for naval. Exail Technologies leads the market through a high degree of autonomy and compact AUVs for hydrography, environmental monitoring, and subsea inspection applications by innovation in navigation and payload design. Saipem strengthens the competition with industrial AUVs used in pipeline inspection, subsea asset monitoring, and offshore operations. The European market also consists of specialized regional providers of advanced autonomy, endurance, payload, and reliability capabilities. Through continuous innovation and multi-mission capability, they remain central to sustaining market leadership.

Related Reports:

Europe Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Market by Shape (Torpedo, Laminar Flow Body, Streamlined Rectangular Style, Multi-Hull), Type (Shallow, Medium, Large), System, Speed, Propulsion, Application, Cost, and Country – Forecast To 2030

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