Intro
The Copperhead series is a family of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) introduced by Anduril to support rapid, flexible subsea missions and integrated operations with larger unmanned systems. The family is designed to balance high transit speeds (>30 knots, potentially up to 40-50 kts in burst mode) with modular payload capability, enabling use in commercial missions such as environmental monitoring and infrastructure inspection, as well as defense missions that require autonomous ISR and engagement capabilities.
Copperhead-100
The core Copperhead-100 model measures roughly 2.7 m in length with a diameter of about 12.75 inches (324 mm). It is built for high-speed transit and flexible payload accommodation, supporting sensors such as active and passive sonar, magnetometers, acoustic communications relays, and chemical detection instruments. Its speed and agility make it suitable for rapid response missions, including targeted ISR tasks, environmental assessment, and critical infrastructure inspection.
Copperhead-100M (Munition Variant)
The Copperhead-100M is a munitions variant of the base model, configured with a lightweight torpedo-like capability. Designed specifically to be deployed by larger subsea platforms like Dive-LD and Dive-XL, the Copperhead-100M provides autonomous strike capability against maritime threats, enabling operators to engage targets with precision while preserving manned assets. This variant retains the high-speed profile of the standard AUV but integrates a warhead and targeting systems for defense applications.
Copperhead-500
The Copperhead-500 is the larger member of the family, measuring around 4 m in length with a diameter of approximately 21 inches (533 mm). It offers substantially greater dry payload capacity — approximately 227 kg (500 lb) — enabling larger or more complex sensor payloads. This makes the 500 series suitable for longer range ISR missions or expanded sensing tasks requiring high-resolution instruments. Its speed capability remains rated above 30 knots, and like the smaller variant, it can carry diverse payloads for both defense and commercial missions.
Copperhead-500M (Munition Variant)
The Copperhead-500M variant takes the standard Copperhead-500 platform and configures it as a heavy autonomous munition. Designed to be deployed by larger UUVs such as Dive-XL, the 500M can carry heavier warheads or payload modules, providing autonomous engagement capability on par with legacy heavyweight torpedoes but at lower cost and with scalable production. Multiple Copperhead-500Ms can be carried on board a single Dive-XL, enabling flexible strike packages.
Across all variants, the Copperhead family is integrated with Anduril’s Lattice autonomous software framework, enabling AI-assisted autonomy, mission execution within defined engagement parameters, and coordination with other autonomous assets — surface, subsurface, or aerial — in a comprehensive maritime system