Cellula Robotics and defense technology firm Metron have signed a 10-year agreement to deliver autonomous undersea systems for the US.
Canadian autonomous underwater vehicle developer Cellula Robotics and US defense technology firm Metron have signed a 10-year agreement to jointly deliver autonomous undersea systems for the US military.
The partnership combines Cellula’s commercial off-the-shelf autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) platforms with Metron’s autonomy software and undersea mission systems.
The partnership is designed to accelerate fielding of unmanned underwater capabilities for US Navy and Pentagon customers, with a focus on long-endurance operations, modular payload integration, and open-architecture design that supports third-party sensors and mission packages.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
The agreement formalizes a relationship that began with collaboration on the Defense Innovation Unit's CAMP project, a US initiative focused on advancing autonomous maritime technologies.
Metron brings decades of experience in autonomy software, mission planning, and maritime systems integration, while Cellula has been expanding its US presence through a domestic subsidiary and partnerships with American defense contractors.
"Together, we are combining our autonomy, mission planning, and novel payload options with Cellula’s long-endurance AUV platforms in a way that delivers the next-generation autonomous undersea system the US Navy has been pursuing for over a decade," said Van Gurley, President and CEO of Metron.
US Navy Undersea Requirements
The deal comes as the US Navy and broader Pentagon accelerate investment in unmanned and autonomous underwater systems to expand surveillance, mine countermeasure, anti-submarine warfare, and seabed operations capabilities.
Defense planners have increasingly emphasized the need for long-duration autonomous systems capable of operating in contested maritime environments while reducing reliance on crewed platforms.The deal “gives customers greater confidence in supply, long-term support, and operational performance by bringing together complementary strengths in a solution designed to be fielded faster and aligned closely with mission needs,” said Cellula Robotics CEO Neil Manning.
