European Nations Quietly Acquire Military Underwater Drones as Russian Threat Looms

Euroatlas CEO Eugen Ciemnyjewski confirmed the previously unreported deals but declined to name the buyers, only saying the two nations “work very closely together.” During a recent maritime demonstration in Germany, he stressed that the drones will be used for a special military application and will not be weaponized — at least in this initial configuration.

Why the Greyshark Matters

• Mid-sized, long-endurance AUV

• Designed for swarm operations

• Current version: up to 5.5 days fully submerged

• Next-generation model in development: up to 16 weeks underwater

Primary missions cited by experts:

• Protection of critical undersea infrastructure (internet cables, gas pipelines)

• Submarine tracking and intelligence gathering

• Mine detection and countermeasures

All without risking human lives and at a fraction of the cost of traditional submarines.

The Bigger Picture

The Ukraine-Russia war has already proven the game-changing potential of unmanned naval systems — though mostly surface drones so far. Ukraine’s latest Sea Baby surface drone can strike targets more than 1,500 km away while carrying up to 2,000 kg of explosives.

Underwater, the chessboard is only now being set. NATO members have quietly begun deploying AUVs alongside frigates and patrol aircraft to safeguard critical infrastructure in the Baltic and North Seas. Even outside Europe, Australia recently committed A$1.7 billion to the U.S.-developed Ghost Shark underwater drone for both surveillance and strike roles.

With Russia repeatedly accused of mapping and potentially threatening undersea cables, European nations appear to have decided that passive defense is no longer enough.

The Greyshark contracts are just the first ripple. Euroatlas says it is already fielding serious interest from additional countries in both Europe and Asia.

The silent service is about to get a lot louder — and a lot more autonomous.

Source: Reuters reporting by Petra Wischgoll, Oliver Denzer, and Cassell Bryan-Low