Unmanned Maritime Systems
Uncrewed surface and underwater systems for survey, patrol and naval operations.
Sea drones for the Baltic: Sweden buys surveillance from Saildrone as a service
Four Saildrone Voyager sea drones supply the Swedish Navy with data from the Baltic Sea. The procurement agency FMV is not buying vehicles but surveillance as a service. The contract was concluded within the Nordefco framework.
Maritime drones: Eviden unveils SMX, an electromagnetic navigation sensor
Eviden has developed the SMX speed sensor for surface and underwater maritime drones. It works electromagnetically, emits no acoustic signals and is designed to make autonomous navigation more accurate and reliable.
Unmanned surface vessel Vanta 24: Stark unveils autonomous warship for the Baltic Sea
With the Vanta 24 unmanned surface vessel, Stark is targeting the Baltic Sea: anti-ship missiles, the Cascade loitering munition and the Minerva software are intended to strengthen the combat power of NATO naval forces. It will be built together with FSG Shipyard.
Underwater drones at “Nusret 2026”: Belgian Navy trains mine hunting in Türkiye
Off Türkiye’s Aegean coast, Belgium has used autonomous underwater drones to search for naval mines. The multinational exercise focused on shallow waters, exchanges with partner navies and the question of where divers are still needed.
Underwater drone: Saab and Sweden put LUUV demonstrator in the water
Less than a year after the contract was awarded, a large underwater drone from Saab has successfully completed sea trials. The LUUV demonstrator concludes the first project phase; more advanced capabilities are to follow next.
Unmanned submarine “XV Excalibur”: Royal Navy fires Mk48 heavyweight torpedo for the first time
Off the Scottish coast, the Royal Navy has had an unmanned submarine fire a Mk48 Mod 4 under “Project Broadsword/Trial Iron”. The XLUUV trial falls under the second pillar of the AUKUS agreement; the capability was integrated within six months.
Unmanned surface vessels with effectors: Stark presents Vanta 12 with Minerva, Cascade and Sea Venom
Unmanned surface vessels for Europe's sea lanes: Stark has unveiled Vanta 12 – twelve metres long, 1,200 nautical miles of range, two tonnes of payload and already tested in a network at the NATO exercise “Repmus”. The platform is to be built in Flensburg.
Tactical drones for Spain: Indra to deliver 147 Tarsis aircraft under the Santam programme
With Tarsis-W and Tarsis-VTOL, Spain's Army, Air and Space Force and Navy will receive domestically developed tactical drones from 2028. Indra is relying on Spanish technology, around a dozen partner companies and 500 new jobs.
Unmanned maritime systems: Quantum Systems takes Seavex and Subvex to sea
Unmanned maritime systems join the Quantum Systems portfolio for the first time. Seavex and Subvex are being presented in Sesimbra, tested during the NATO exercise “Repmus” and are to work alongside air and land systems via Mosaic UXS.
Unmanned helicopters for Angola: Edge Group hands over six HT-100 Naval after acceptance trials
Following the Factory Acceptance Trials in Switzerland, six Anavia HT-100 Naval unmanned helicopters have been handed over to the Angolan Navy. Integration on three corvettes and sea trials in Angola are next.
Unmanned surface vehicles from Flensburg: Stark and Flensburger Shipyard plan Vanta production
A letter of intent is to pave the way: the FSG shipyard could in future build Stark’s unmanned surface vehicles of the Vanta family in larger numbers. Production figures and the timetable are still open.
USV “Seetaube”: Bundeswehr takes over its first autonomous surface vehicle from Stark
Six metres long and built on the Vanta platform: with the USV “Seetaube”, the Bundeswehr is testing maritime reconnaissance. Training of the operating personnel and further trials at sea will follow in the coming months.
Mine countermeasures: France orders twelve more drones under the Slam-F programme
With additional surface and underwater drones and chartered mothership vessels, France aims to expand its mine countermeasures. Slam-F is being implemented together with the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands.