When equipped with Cellula’s hydrogen fuel-cell power system, the Metron’s AUV is capable of exceptional operational ranges and endurance.
Metron Inc., a leader in autonomous software for defense applications, announced today that the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has awarded the company a Prototype Other Transaction Agreement under the Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform (CAMP) project to deliver a demonstration-ready undersea vehicle designed for rapid scaling. The award, issued under the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) HQ0845-20-S-C001, will accelerate the adoption of operationally relevant, commercially based technologies that scale to support U.S. Navy missions and strategic goals.
Lancet™ combines a collaboration that integrates Metron’s Resilient Mission Autonomy®, Cellula’s Guardian AUV, Integer’s DIGIT UUV predictive mission health manager, and payload technologies from General Dynamics Applied Physical Sciences. With Lancet™, the Metron team and DIU will deliver a scalable and reliable long-endurance autonomous system with flexible payload capacity and sustained operational persistence. Through this partnership, Metron and DIU will advance the Department of War’s goal of fielding systems capable of deploying payloads that strengthen operational effectiveness in contested maritime environments.
“We are excited to bring this game-changing solution to the Department of War. Our Lancet™ prototype delivers a scalable, cost-effective system with the reach, reliability, persistence, and payload delivery capability needed to be operationally relevant,” said Van Gurley, CEO of Metron. “By integrating proven hardware around a mature autonomy core and designing the manufacturing plan to support rapid scaling, we are creating an autonomous force multiplier for the undersea domain.”
The CAMP project aims to rapidly field undersea systems that can operate with minimal human supervision across a range of missions. Lancet™ focuses on modular integration, onboard real-time adaptive planning, and a design-for-production architecture that supports long-range, multi-payload delivery and commercial-grade logistics.
“This award validates the strength of our strategic partnership with Cellula and our shared commitment to fielding autonomous undersea systems with unmatched endurance and flexibility,” said Christine Judd, Vice President of Metron’s Unmanned Systems Group. “The CAMP project pushes the defense community toward modular, platform-agnostic autonomy. With DIU, we are helping move commercial autonomy into operational use.”
This work builds on Metron’s previously announced open-water trials in 2024 and 2025 with Cellula Robotics, during which the ANCC software was integrated with the Guardian AUV—a multi-payload, long-duration system engineered to operate autonomously within contested and dynamic environments. When equipped with Cellula’s hydrogen fuel-cell power system, the Guardian is capable of exceptional operational ranges and endurance. In those trials, the system executed submerged patterns, vertical maneuvers, precision station-keeping, and autonomous transits.
Photo of Metron
Press release https://h7.cl/1kVZc
