L3Harris Technologies has received an Other Transaction Authority contract from the Defense Innovation Unit to deliver its Torpedo Tube Launch and Recovery system to the U.S. Navy — a capability that deploys and retrieves autonomous underwater vehicles through existing submarine torpedo tubes without surfacing or exposing crew.

The system carries the Iver4 900 AUV, a small-diameter autonomous undersea vehicle with a 300-meter depth rating designed for ISR, mine detection, and seabed warfare missions. The TTLR system has been validated by U.S. and allied navies and carries the first submarine- and aviation-approved AUV lithium-ion battery technology cleared for Navy use, enabling longer-duration missions with hot-swap capability for continuous operations.

The force multiplication logic is straightforward: existing submarine hulls gain persistent undersea autonomous capability without new construction. The system is designed for interoperability across multiple submarine classes and allied platforms, which positions it directly within the AUKUS Pillar 2 collaboration framework focused on advanced defense capabilities among the U.S., UK, and Australia.

“The Torpedo Tube Launch and Recovery system is not a future capability, it’s answering combatant commander needs today,” said Nino DiCosmo, President, Maritime, Space & Mission Systems, L3Harris. “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.”

The contract was awarded through DIU’s Other Transaction Authority mechanism, consistent with the accelerated acquisition pathways the department has used to field autonomous systems across domains ahead of traditional procurement timelines.