---
title: Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Systems
type: technology
url: "https://www.envisioning.com/research/forge/israel__autonomous-underwater-vehicles"
hub: forge
summary: Israeli AUV systems from Elbit and Rafael perform mine countermeasures, port security, and underwater infrastructure inspection for naval forces worldwide.
---

# Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Systems

Israeli AUV systems from Elbit and Rafael perform mine countermeasures, port security, and underwater infrastructure inspection for naval forces worldwide.
- Technology Readiness Level: 7/9
- Impact: 3/5
- Investment: 4/5
Israel has developed autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for military and commercial applications, including mine countermeasures, port security, submarine rescue, and underwater infrastructure inspection. Elbit Systems' Seagull unmanned surface/subsurface system and Rafael's underwater systems perform tasks including anti-submarine warfare, mine hunting, and seabed mapping with minimal human intervention.

Israel's AUV technology builds on its broader autonomous systems expertise and addresses specific maritime security challenges: protecting offshore gas platforms (Tamar, Leviathan), securing naval ports, and maintaining surveillance of underwater approaches. The Mediterranean and Red Sea operational environments provide diverse testing conditions from shallow coastal waters to deep offshore domains.

The global market for maritime autonomous systems is growing rapidly as navies worldwide seek to reduce risk to crewed vessels in mine-dense or contested waters. Israel's combat experience with unmanned maritime systems and integration of AI for autonomous navigation and target classification positions its AUV industry for significant export growth.

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Source: Envisioning — Technology Research Institute (https://www.envisioning.com/research/forge/israel__autonomous-underwater-vehicles)