The heart of London was transformed into a chilling marketplace for high-tech naval warfare as global arms dealers, defence contractors, and military personnel flock to the Underwater Defence Technology (UDT) exhibition this week. Promoted as the premier global gathering for the undersea defence community, the event at the ExCel Centre in London has drawn industry leaders and weapons enthusiasts to the capital to browse a catalogue of devastating maritime arsenals.
Behind the slick corporate branding and bright lights of the exhibition stands, the grim reality of the hardware on display is impossible to ignore, with next-generation torpedoes and advanced combat systems openly marketed to international buyers.
Among the most terrifying exhibits dominating the convention floor is the Roketsan “Akya”, a massive next-generation heavyweight torpedo designed to obliterate submarines and surface vessels.
For the unaware, it is designed to destroy both surface ships and underwater vessels, and features advanced acoustic guidance, wake-homing capabilities, and a highly destructive warhead.
The sleek, black weapon was snapped sitting proudly on an illuminated display, drawing the attention of suited attendees negotiating potential defence contracts. Nearby, naval giant TKMS offers an intimate look at its deadly engineering, showcasing a cutaway model of a highly sophisticated underwater projectile that reveals the intricate, lethal mechanics hidden beneath its outer casing.
Turkish defence corporation Aselsan also set up a sprawling, futuristic booth to present its latest underwater systems. The company’s bright yellow “Deringöz” autonomous underwater vehicle stretches across the display, flanked by an array of maritime technologies.
The AI-driven drone dives up to 600 metres, and is said to execute critical missions like mine detection, intelligence gathering, and seabed infrastructure inspection using modular, high-tech sensors.
Visitors could be seen inspecting the Zoka acoustic torpedo countermeasure jammers and decoys, alongside the Hizir torpedo countermeasure system designed for surface ships. The stall served as a one-stop shop for naval warfare, complete with submarine radar systems, active and passive sonar systems, and directional sonobuoys.
While organisers described the three-day event as a “crucial hub for innovation, bringing together academia, military, and industry to navigate the complex challenges of the underwater environment”, the optics remain deeply unsettling for many.
During the event, Rear Admiral Oliver Berdal, Chief of the Norwegian Royal Navy said: “The future is increasingly going to be unmanned; it is going to be autonomous, and for all the different technologies that industry will be developed in years to come, whether it is on the surface, beneath the waves, or on the seabed . . .”
He also said: “In the months and years ahead, Norway will further increase co-operation with those partners and allies, because it’s the only way to succeed in a very complex future. We are all in the same boat, which means we need to protect this together.
“Countries need to work together; government agencies, the military, police, maritime authority, coastguards etcetera, need to work closely together; [and] we need to work closely with industry. If we work closely together, we will be quite successful in protecting our vital infrastructure.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.