en.Wedoany.com Reported - The unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) market is projected to grow from $6.91 billion in 2026 to $19.22 billion by 2031, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.7%. This forecast is based on a report released by MarketsandMarkets™ on June 22, 2026.
The growth of the UUV market is primarily driven by the demand from defense, offshore energy, and research users for safer underwater operations that do not rely entirely on divers or manned vessels. Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are used for seabed mapping, pipeline and cable inspection, mine countermeasures, surveillance, search and recovery, and ocean monitoring. Technological advancements in batteries, sensors, sonar, navigation, and communication systems also support market growth, making vehicles more reliable for longer and repeatable missions.
By type, the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 24.4% during the forecast period. This segment will maintain the largest share of the UUV market, driven by its operational autonomy, which is suitable for missions requiring autonomous wide-area mapping. The widespread use of AUVs in offshore energy, defense, and scientific research reflects their ability to operate without tethers, manage advanced sensor payloads, and perform long-endurance mapping and intelligence missions. By application, the military and defense segment is expected to be the largest during the forecast period. By system, the communication and network segment is expected to experience the fastest growth, as it enables operational connectivity, data transmission, and structural interoperability for vehicles, which are critical for mission coordination.
By region, the European UUV market accounted for a 34.4% revenue share in 2025, but the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be the fastest-growing market during the forecast period. Many countries in this region are increasing defense spending and upgrading command, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), logistics, and security communication systems. Regional security concerns, growing sensor data, and defense digitalization projects have increased demand for cloud platforms, including hybrid cloud and tactical edge cloud.
Kongsberg (Norway), Saipem (Italy), BAE Systems (UK), L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (US), and Oceaneering International, Inc. (US) are key players in the UUV sector.
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