NATO awards R&D contract to subsea robotics SME

NATO has awarded UK SME HonuWorx a research and development contract to help improve Canada’s ability to maintain deepsea power and data infrastructure. Announced on 17 April, the contract is on behalf of government-led technology developer Defence Research and Development Canada. 

Specifically, HonuWorx will undertake a study to extend the operating depth of its uncrewed subsea system, “addressing specific end-user requirements for intervention in deepwater environments,” the company said.  

It will also develop  a “high fidelity” simulation capability to test and validate system performance in complex undersea environments. 

The contract is the first that NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) has awarded under its Rapid Adoption Service. This is a mechanism designed to accelerate the procurement of emerging technologies by enabling NATO to contract on behalf of participating nations. 

The project builds on HonuWorx’s participation in NATO DIANA’s challenge programme, where its subsea technology was selected for the Critical Infrastructure and Logistics challenge in 2025. Through the programme, the company worked with NATO partners to refine its system to protect European subsea infrastructure. 

HonuWorx’s system is designed to enable uncrewed subsea operations without the need for surface vessels, offering potential advantages in terms of cost, flexibility, and operational footprint. 

HonuWorx said the contract demonstrates growing recognition of its technology’s potential within the defence sector.  

The agreement underlines NATO’s increasing focus on subsea defence capabilities, particularly as it looks to enhance resilience and operational effectiveness in critical underwater domains.