In this screenshot of video provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, a U.S. submarine sinks Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in support of Operation Epic Fury off Sri Lanka’s coast in March 2026 using a Mark 48 torpedo. Underwater drones can now fire the same torpedo. (Photo by U.S. Department of Defense via Getty Images)
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Underwater drones can now bring the same firepower to bear against large surface ships as submarines. This revolutionary development was proved this month when the U.S. Navy and British Royal Navy used an unmanned underwater vehicle, or UUV, to fire a Mark 48 torpedo.
The UUV, called XV Excalibur, is owned by the Royal Navy. The test that took place in Scotland showed that British naval forces can now wield the same U.S. firepower that sunk the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in March of this year.
The Mark 48 torpedo made global headlines when a U.S. submarine used it to sink the IRIS Dena.
This torpedo is both a strategic and explosive heavyweight. It is usually wire-guided and can carry a warhead weighing up to 650 pounds.
As a “ship-killing” munition, it destroys surface vessels by using the power of water pressure rather than through a direct strike. When the torpedo explodes, it unleashes a large pressure bubble that can snap the keel of a ship, as was seen in images taken of the sinking of the IRIS Dena.
The launch is especially noteworthy given that XV Excalibur is not only an underwater drone but that it is still very new. Unveiled in May of last year, it was described then as an “experimental vessel.”
At nearly 40 feet long and six feet wide, it is much smaller than most submarines. The U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered Virginia and Sea Wolf fast attack submarines are both over 300 feet long.
The test opens new doors to both the U.S. Navy and Royal Navy as it has proved that American Mark 48 torpedoes are compatible with technology produced by international allies.
“This successful test marks a historic first for allied undersea warfare,” U.S. Navy Adm. Daryl Caudle, chief of naval operations, said in a statement. “Proving that we can seamlessly launch a U.S. heavyweight torpedo from a Royal Navy autonomous underwater vehicle validates our shared vision for true interchangeability.
The U.S. Navy plans to follow the test with Anduril’s Dive XL underwater vehicle in a new phase called Project Cutlass. This will see U.S. used the Dive-XL in tactical scenarios alongside international allies.
The Dive XL is an extra large autonomous underwater vehicle that can travel over 2,000 miles and carry many different types of heavy payloads. Could it also be used to launch heavy ship-killing torpedoes? In light of the recent successful test, that appears within the realm of possibility.
The launch demonstrates how technology is shrinking weapons systems. Small first person view drones are now performing tasks that used to be the domain of much larger aircraft, while underwater vehicles can blast warships out of the water with the power of large submarines.
The XV Excalibur’s successful demonstration is more than just an operational milestone. It has profound ramifications for both the military and private industry in reconsidering the meaning of undersea warfare today and adjusting goals to stay competitive in a defense landscape that changes profoundly from day to day.
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