The system has been validated by U.S. and allied navies for a range of missions, including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, mine detection and seabed warfare. It enables operations without requiring submarines to surface or exposing personnel to additional risk.
“The Torpedo Tube Launch and Recovery system is not a future capability, it’s answering combatant commander needs today,” said Nino DiCosmo, President of Maritime, Space & Mission Systems at 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.”
L3Harris said the modular TTLR system enhances operational capacity by leveraging existing submarine platforms rather than requiring new construction. This approach is intended to expand mission capability while reducing costs.
The system also incorporates lithium-ion battery technology approved for both submarine and aviation use by the U.S. Navy. This enables longer-duration missions and supports continuous operations through hot-swap battery capability.
L3Harris added that TTLR is interoperable across multiple submarine classes and allied platforms. The capability supports the Navy’s vision for manned-unmanned teaming and contributes to collaboration under the AUKUS Pillar 2 framework.
