EDA project to reduce noise from autonomous underwater vehicles
NewsNovember 25, 2025
BRUSSELS, Belgium. The European Defence Agency (EDA) launched a four-year research program aimed at reducing noise generated by autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to improve naval stealth and limit the impact of human-made sound on marine ecosystems, the agency announced in a statement.
The project, called Submarine Hull/Rudder/Propeller Hydrodynamics Interaction and Hydroacoustics (SPHYDA), involves four EU member states and Norway, with Italy leading the effort alongside Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain. Nine industrial and research partners are part of the consortium, the statement reads.
SPHYDA will develop numerical models and experimental methods to analyze how hulls, rudders, and propellers contribute to underwater noise. The €4.8 million effort will also design and construct an AUV to perform laboratory and open-water tests to validate its findings, the agency says.
The program supports ongoing European initiatives in underwater warfare and aligns with NATO research on sonar and uncrewed systems. Expected outcomes include simulation tools, acoustic datasets, and design guidelines for next-generation low-noise underwater vehicles, the statement adds.
