German Navy plans to boost fleet with unmanned systems to counter Russia’s naval threats

Commander of the German Navy, Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack has said that the German Navy is planning to enhance its military capabilities over the next few years by incorporating unmanned systems into its fleet.

He noted that the goal is to counter Russia’s growing naval combat capabilities, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

Kaack highlighted a strategic move to modernize its forces with advanced technologies.

The initiative follows the successful trials of the Caesar (or Blue Whale), an unmanned underwater vehicle developed by Elta, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The German Navy funded and participated in the testing of the vehicle, which represents a leap forward in autonomous naval technologies.

The Caesar, the world’s first unmanned underwater vehicle, was initially created for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and has since become a significant part of IAI's expansion into robotic ground systems, unmanned vessels, and loitering munitions. The sonar system for navigation and detection was developed by Atlas, a German company within the ThyssenKrupp group. The Blue Whale (Caesar) weighs 5 tons, measures 11 meters long, and can reach speeds of up to 13 km/h at depths of 300 meters. It is equipped with sonar to scan the sea floor, identify mines, and track suspicious vessels. 

Notably, it can operate autonomously for a month without needing to recharge its electric motors, a feature that gives it a major advantage over traditional manned submarines, which have significantly longer operational durations. In comparison, the German-built Dragon submarine, designed for delivery to the IDF in 2025, is 70 meters in length and can only be transported by sea, while the Caesar can be easily shipped in a large container. While the Caesar currently does not have offensive capabilities, IAI has plans to develop such versions in the future. 

The company has already produced two of these autonomous submarines and is in the process of negotiating sales with other countries' navies, in addition to talks with Germany. With this move, the German Navy aims to modernize its capabilities, reducing the need for large crews while enhancing its strategic advantage through unmanned technologies.

By Naila Huseynova