Unmanned Systems: Air, Ground & Maritime
Unmanned systems across all domains: aerial, ground and maritime drones in defence and security.
Unmanned surface vessels for ASW frigates: Netherlands awards design to Dutch Naval Design
Twelve metres long, one per ASW frigate: unmanned surface vessels are being designed for the Royal Netherlands Navy. Dutch Naval Design has won the contract, and dipping sonars from Thales have been procured in parallel.
Unmanned systems off Nuuk: Denmark and Canada test underwater drones in Arctic waters
Rather than in home waters, the Danish Navy has tested its underwater drones and other unmanned systems off Greenland – with Canada as a partner. The aim is to build capabilities for seabed surveillance and for securing critical infrastructure.
Underwater drone Sea Trident: Ukraine's Global Mark shows the “future” of the Crimean Bridge
Ten tonnes, a range of up to 2,000 nautical miles and a payload of up to 1,000 kilograms: with the Sea Trident, a Ukrainian manufacturer is presenting an underwater drone in Paris intended for strikes as well as reconnaissance and logistics in the Black Sea.
Sea drones from Aselsan: Kiliç and Tufan debut at SAHA 2026 in Istanbul
Aselsan used a launch event in Istanbul to show new sea drones for operations above and below the water. In focus: the Kiliç platform family and the Tufan surface vehicle, both designed for swarm operations.
Naval drones from Hamburg: Rheinmetall Kraken starts series production of the Kraken K3 Scout
The first Kraken K3 Scout naval drones are rolling off the line at Blohm+Voss in Hamburg. Around 200 units a year are planned initially, up to 1,000 if orders allow. The joint venture is now called Rheinmetall Kraken GmbH.
USV: gunboats without a crew
Peter Symonds de Montfort, founder of Sigmund Naval & Marine Ltd, designs unmanned surface vessels (USVs) for maritime operations. The first USV model is soon to be launched. An interview on design, armament and missions.
Sea drones under Ukrainian command: NATO loses all five scenarios in naval exercise off Portugal
After "Hedgehog 2025" in Estonia, now at sea: a "red" team under Ukrainian command used sea drones, among other assets, at "REPMUS/Dynamic Messenger 2025" and exposed weaknesses in NATO naval forces.
Underwater drone Blue Whale: German Navy takes delivery of first system from TKMS Atlas Elektronik and IAI
On 25 February, Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack accepted the first Blue Whale. The underwater drone is to perform reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare; after only a few months of procurement, the move into series production is now next.
Underwater drones put to the test: Belgian and Slovenian VSW teams train at the Lakes of l’Eau d’Heure
One week, two navies, one goal: learning from each other. During joint training in the province of Hainaut, special forces from Belgium and Slovenia tested autonomous underwater drones – and the Belgian team operated a Slovenian mine clearance drone for the first time.
Underwater drone Sub Sea Baby: Ukraine reports Russian submarine sunk in Novorossiysk
A Varshavyanka-class submarine is said to have been hit by a Ukrainian underwater drone in the port of Novorossiysk. The SBU speaks of a sinking, Moscow of a failed sabotage attempt – what is known about Sub Sea Baby.
Underwater drone for the German Navy: Intec and C2 Robotics cooperate on the Speartooth LUUV
Intec Industrie-Technik and C2 Robotics aim to strengthen the German Navy with the Speartooth LUUV. The underwater drone is around eleven metres long, carries up to one tonne of payload and fits into a shipping container.
Underwater drones: Helsing prepares acquisition of Australian AUV manufacturer Blue Ocean
AI meets underwater drones: buying Blue Ocean of Bibra Lake is to give Helsing hardware and manufacturing. The aim is autonomous systems in large numbers to secure the underwater domain in the North Atlantic and AUKUS waters.
Maritime drones from Stark: Vanta-4 and Vanta-6 mark the company's entry into the maritime domain
Stark has so far stood for loitering munitions; now maritime drones follow. The unmanned boats Vanta-4 and Vanta-6 have already completed missions at NATO exercise “REP(MUS)” in Portugal. They are built together with JD Marine International.