The Halcyon Symbios rebreather has achieved two major milestones this month, with its CE certification officially confirmed and Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) granting formal approval for its use in training.
A Certified Step Forward
Earlier this month, The Scuba News reported that the Halcyon Symbios CM rebreather had achieved CE conformity under EN 14143:2013, a benchmark that validates its safety, performance, and quality for the European market. With this certification in place, Halcyon can now legally market and distribute the system across the European Union, marking a crucial step in the company’s expansion strategy.
The Symbios CM is a modular, chest-mounted rebreather designed to integrate seamlessly with conventional open-circuit setups. Its configuration reduces bulk while maintaining redundancy, travel convenience, and ergonomic efficiency. Powered by Halcyon’s Guardian r-OS electronics and supported by wireless telemetry and vibration alarms, the system offers a highly modernized approach to diver awareness and system management.
Halcyon founder Jarrod Jablonski described the CE mark as “an important milestone” in bringing the Symbios to a wider audience. Lead designer Arne Sieber credited the international engineering collaboration that guided the system from prototype to certification, calling the process “a testament to teamwork and persistence.”
GUE Approval Marks New Phase for Symbios
Soon after the certification announcement, Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) issued an official statement confirming that the Halcyon Symbios has been approved for inclusion in its rebreather training programs. The move follows extensive field testing and internal review by GUE’s senior instructors and Board of Directors.
For GUE, rebreathers have long been essential tools in exploration diving. Earlier systems such as the RB80 and PVR-BASC were mainstays of the organization’s formative years, while later adoption of the JJ-CCR allowed GUE to streamline operations and maintain consistent standards across its training network. However, as exploration projects have pushed deeper, longer, and into increasingly remote regions where helium logistics present a growing challenge, the organization identified a need for a more flexible and modular platform.
Why Symbios Fits the GUE Philosophy
The Halcyon Symbios aligns closely with GUE’s philosophy of standardization, simplicity, and team efficiency. Its chest-mounted layout frees the diver’s back for alternative configurations and allows for integration with existing equipment without major reconfiguration. The compact form factor makes it travel-friendly, yet it retains the performance and reliability expected in expedition-grade systems.
GUE’s testing team found that the Symbios complements both the RB80 and JJ-CCR, offering a hybrid approach that can be adapted to specific mission profiles. The organization also highlighted Halcyon’s commitment to engineering precision and compatibility with GUE’s established protocols as key factors in the approval decision.
Following extensive trials beginning in 2023, GUE’s Board granted preliminary approval in mid-2025, contingent upon CE certification. With that milestone now achieved, full approval has been confirmed, paving the way for the Symbios to enter GUE’s structured training curriculum.
Integration into GUE Training
According to GUE’s statement, the Symbios will be introduced initially at the CCR Fundamentals level, providing divers an accessible entry point to the system within the organization’s established rebreather framework. Instructor coordination and training materials are already in development, with experienced CCR instructors invited to participate in the rollout.
The long-term plan will extend Symbios integration into higher-level technical and exploration courses. GUE also noted that instructors authorized to teach on the unit may begin advertising upcoming Symbios programs, though equipment availability will vary during the early phase of distribution.
Importantly, GUE framed the Symbios approval not just as the addition of a new platform, but as a model for how the organization may approach future rebreather evaluations. The decision signals an openness to diversify approved systems, reflecting the rapid evolution of closed-circuit technology and its increasing role in global exploration.
A New Chapter for Technical Diving
The combination of CE certification and GUE endorsement gives the Halcyon Symbios rebreather exceptional credibility in both regulatory and training circles. For European divers, CE conformity ensures access to a fully approved, quality-tested system. For technical and exploration divers worldwide, GUE’s endorsement confirms that the Symbios meets the operational standards of one of the most rigorous organizations in diving.
As GUE’s Symbios courses begin rolling out, interest across the technical diving community is expected to rise sharply. With its balance of innovation, compact design, and alignment with established training systems, the Symbios appears poised to become one of the most influential rebreathers of its generation.
Comments
