Bluefin-21
A large, deep-rated survey AUV with interchangeable sensor and battery modules.
- Country / region
- United States
- Programme status
- Supplier-reported status
- Sources reviewed
- 20 Sept 2026
- Primary domain
- Underwater
- System type
- Autonomous underwater vehicle
- Developer / manufacturer
- General Dynamics Mission Systems
- Origin / production countries
- United States
- Other names
- No additional names recorded
- Variants / configurations
- Named configuration; see the evidence and specification notes
- Operators / programme customers
- Not established in the reviewed public sources
Evidence & current status
Public specifications are attributed to the cited sources. Advertised limits are not assumed to occur simultaneously.
Role & capabilities
- Seabed survey
- Interchangeable sensor modules
- Deep-water data collection
Specifications in context
- Configuration
- Untethered modular AUV
Published specification for the cited configuration; payload, environment and speed affect performance.
Source ↗ - Hull / propulsion
- Battery-electric; ducted thruster
Published specification for the cited configuration; payload, environment and speed affect performance.
Source ↗ - Dimensions
- 4.93 m long; 0.53 m diameter
Published specification for the cited configuration; payload, environment and speed affect performance.
Source ↗ - Displacement / mass
- 750 kg dry
Published specification for the cited configuration; payload, environment and speed affect performance.
Source ↗ - Payload
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Endurance
- 25 hours at 3 knots with standard payload
Published specification for the cited configuration; payload, environment and speed affect performance.
Source ↗ - Range
- Not established in the reviewed public sources.
Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted.
Source ↗ - Speed
- Up to 4.5 knots
Published specification for the cited configuration; payload, environment and speed affect performance.
Source ↗ - Operating depth
- 4,500 m
Published specification for the cited configuration; payload, environment and speed affect performance.
Source ↗ - Sensors
- Side-scan, sub-bottom and multibeam sonar
Published specification for the cited configuration; payload, environment and speed affect performance.
Source ↗ - Communications / control
- INS/DVL navigation; acoustic, RF and Iridium links
Published specification for the cited configuration; payload, environment and speed affect performance.
Source ↗ - Launch / deployment
- Shipboard A-frame or docking-head handling
Published specification for the cited configuration; payload, environment and speed affect performance.
Source ↗