Vatn Systems, Palantir team up to accelerate production of underwater vehicles

Defense technology company building autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) Vatn Systems has entered into a strategic partnership with Palantir Technologies to further digitize and scale its manufacturing capabilities.

As part of the partnership agreement, Vatn Systems plans to use Palantir’s advanced software platform to digitize the manufacturing process and provide AI-driven insights that will accelerate the production of underwater vehicles for national security applications. The collaboration is expected to enable Vatn to streamline its supply chain management and build additional resiliency.

“Partnering with Palantir enables us to move smarter and faster as we achieve our vision of becoming the platform-scale manufacturer of low cost and attritable autonomous underwater systems in the United States,” said Nelson Mills, co-founder and CEO of Vatn Systems.

“Palantir’s technology gives us real-time visibility into our operations, strengthening our ability to anticipate challenges, optimize resources, and deliver critical systems to our customers with unprecedented speed and precision.”

“Vatn is building exactly the kind of mission-critical capability that our software is designed to support,” said Palantir’s Louis Mosley.

“Providing a digital, AI-powered backbone for the company’s operations, will help to build these AUVs faster, make them more adaptable and ultimately strengthen western deterrence.”

Since its founding in April 2023, Vatn Systems has progressed from concept to deployment, delivering its first AUVs in 17 months. The company is already actively testing in military exercises. This collaboration marks an important milestone in strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base, and modernizing how underwater systems are built. The company aims to develop the kinds of capabilities that can form the bedrock of Pillar 2 of the AUKUS defense and security partnership.

The defense sector is increasingly recognizing the strategic advantages offered by AUVs. Their ability to perform tasks such as intelligence gathering, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare, and infrastructure inspection in high-risk environments without endangering personnel is a significant draw.

Furthermore, advancements in artificial intelligence, battery technology, and autonomous navigation are enhancing the capabilities and operational endurance of AUVs, making them more versatile and effective assets for naval forces globally.

The development of AUVs that can be deployed from ships, shore, or even other unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) further expands their operational flexibility and makes them an integral part of modern naval strategies.