Jerry Petersen 
- Metron and Cellula Robotics have signed a 10-year agreement to develop a new undersea capability for the U.S. defense market.
- The effort will combine Cellula’s underwater vehicle platforms with Metron’s autonomy capabilities.
- Metron is already working with Cellula on the Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform initiative.
Marine technology company Cellula Robotics and autonomy software developer Metron seek to deliver a next-generation undersea capability for the U.S. defense market and have signed a 10-year agreement for the effort.
What Will Cellula and Metron Contribute to the Collaboration?
Cellula Robotics said Tuesday that the agreement will combine its commercial off-the-shelf long-endurance autonomous underwater vehicle, or AUV, platforms with Metron’s mission autonomy offerings, integration pathways and decision superiority ecosystem. The collaboration between the two companies will also be characterized by a modular, open-architecture approach meant to enable the integration of various third-party capabilities.
Commenting on the effort, Metron President and CEO Van Gurley praised Cellula for bringing to the table “a proven, flexible COTS platform approach,” which he deemed important “for defense customers looking for capability that can be adapted, integrated and fielded quickly with confidence.”
For his part, Cellula CEO Neil Manning said the collaboration brings together “complementary strengths in a solution designed to be fielded faster and aligned closely with mission needs” resulting in customers gaining “greater confidence in supply, long-term support and operational
performance.”
How Does the New Agreement Further the Relationship Between Cellula and Metron?
Manning also noted how the new agreement builds on the relationship his company has had with Metron over the past few years. This relationship includes Cellula contributing to Metron’s work on its contract with the Defense Innovation Unit for the Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform, or CAMP, initiative.
CAMP seeks to enhance U.S. undersea capabilities and support evolving Department of War priorities. Metron’s work involves the development of Lancet, a prototype autonomous undersea vehicle ready for demonstration and rapid deployment. For its part, Cellula Robotics is tasked to deliver a commercial off-the-shelf, fuel cell-powered Guardian AUV.
The same platform was used by the two companies in 2025 for a multi-mission open-water demonstration off the coast of Vancouver, Canada. Cellula’s Guardian underwater vehicle was equipped with Metron’s Autonomous Navigation Command and Control software and performed various complex tasks.
