BAE said it was aiming to bring an autonomous submarine to market by 2026, amid interest from countries increasingly worried about underwater threats, following a series of attacks on subsea cables.

BAE successfully tested its Herne submarine product last year and said at the DSEI arms fair on Tuesday it signed a 10-year deal with Canadian partner Cellula Robotics, with the pair aiming to have a product “market ready” by the end of 2026.