Undersea Defence Technology (UDT) 2027
Undersea Defence Technology (UDT) 2027 is taking place April 6-8 in Glasgow, Scotland, bringing together the global undersea defense community to explore the latest developments in unmanned and autonomous maritime technologies.
Further details will be announced soon. In the meantime, please refer to the previous event information below.
This three-day event is focused on the future of unmanned systems in contested maritime environments, ranging from Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to multi-domain sensor integration and AI-driven mission planning. With a strong technical agenda and dedicated exhibition, UDT 2026 offers insights into the design, deployment, and operational challenges of next-generation undersea systems.
Attendees include defense researchers, naval end-users, systems integrators, technology developers, and representatives from Ministries of Defence and NATO, all working to address the evolving complexity of undersea threats through technological advancement.
When is UDT 2026?
UDT 2026 will run from April 14–16, 2026.
What’s on at UDT 2026?
UDT 2026 features a three-day conference program across three theaters and a keynote stage, covering the full scope of unmanned and autonomous undersea operations.
Key topics include autonomous systems, AUV progression, sensor fusion, platform modularity, mission planning, AI modeling, and human-machine teaming. Sessions will explore both the strategic and technical aspects of uncrewed system development, including persistent surveillance, underwater communication, acoustic sensing, and multi-vehicle coordination.
- Day 1 focuses on foundational technologies such as seabed control, countermeasure autonomy, and AI for underwater navigation.
- Day 2 highlights mission readiness, USV/AUV pairing, AI-enhanced planning, and autonomy for ASW and surveillance.
- Day 3 continues with presentations on modular robotics, compact AUVs, quantum sensing, and digital twins for performance optimization.
Built-in networking sessions, including a Day 2 reception, offer opportunities for attendees to connect with partners, developers, and decision-makers.
Key Themes
UDT 2026 will address multiple core topics relevant to the unmanned systems community:
- Autonomous Systems: AUV-led operations, collaborative autonomy, and mission-scale deployment
- Sensor Fusion & Networking: Navigation, GNSS integration, and underwater multi-sensor environments
- Sonar & Acoustic Technologies: AI-enabled sonar, stealth design, active/passive detection
- AI & Simulation: Reinforcement learning, AI-generated data, decision transformers, digital twins
- Human-Machine Interaction: Crew teaming, interface design, performance integration
- Platform Innovation: Modular subsea systems, uncrewed ship design, manufacturing techniques
Speakers
Speakers include engineers, scientists, and program leaders from across the unmanned and defense technology sectors:
- Dr. Mathieu Colin, Senior Scientist, TNO – autonomous platform deployment and mission modeling
- Simon Topping, Chief Scientist, TKMS ATLAS UK – system integration and sensor fusion in autonomy
- Dr. Yasar Kemal Alp, Technical Lead, Meteksan Defence – sonar architectures for autonomous vehicles
- Harriet Morley, Human Factors Technologist, BAE Systems Submarines – HMI in uncrewed environments
- Commander Jez Green, Ministry of Defence – strategic planning for autonomous undersea infrastructure
- Dr. Michael Hush, Chief Scientist, Q-CTRL – quantum navigation for compact AUVs
- Aymeric Bonnaud, Scientific Director, Naval Group – countermeasure systems for AUV deployment
- Max Edwards, Principal Scientist, Dstl – autonomous sensing and seabed operations
Where is UDT 2026?
ExCeL London
Royal Victoria Dock
1 Western Gateway
London E16 1XL
United Kingdom
To learn more about Undersea Defence Technology (UDT) 2027, to register to attend or exhibit, please click below .
