Development of unmanned surface vessel (USV) fleets around the world

1. Ukraine

Ukraine has become one of the most active developers and users of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) in the world, especially in the context of full-scale war with Russia. These boats are forming a new domain of combat operations — autonomous maritime operations that have changed the rules of warfare at sea.

The first Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels appeared as early as 2022–2023 in response to military aggression. One of the most famous is the MAGURA V5, which was developed for reconnaissance, surveillance and strike operations at sea.

Historical trials began with small prototypes based on modified civilian hulls with an added autonomous control and communication system. By the end of 2023, more advanced versions of the USV were already being used in combat operations in the Black Sea and other waters in the region.

Sea Baby MLRS unmanned surface vessel

The Magura USV series has gained recognition as an effective platform for patrolling, reconnaissance and strike missions against Russian surface targets, destroying enemy ships and infrastructure.

Magura drones have demonstrated their ability not only to attack surface targets, but also to strike airborne targets, including Russian helicopters and fighter jets, which came as a surprise to many experts.

Sea Baby — unmanned boats with a large amount of explosives, capable of striking important objects and ships.

Barracuda USV — a modular platform used by Ukrainian naval units for attacks with special combat payloads and FPV drones.

Barracuda unmanned surface vessel

Ukrainian USV projects are not only being developed independently — international cooperation is also ongoing. Norway and the United Kingdom are involved in the production and modernisation of unmanned naval platforms in Ukraine, including possible local production using advanced technologies.

2. Israel

The Israeli Navy is actively implementing unmanned maritime systems as part of its multi-layered defence strategy. USVs are seen not as an experiment, but as real combat platforms for reconnaissance, mine countermeasures, patrols and, potentially, strike operations in coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, as well as in combat scenarios within regional conflicts.

The Israeli Navy's first steps with surface drones are aimed at:

• maritime reconnaissance — USVs can act as ‘eyes on the water’ far beyond traditional patrols;
• threat detection and maritime traffic monitoring — reducing the need to send armoured ships into high-risk areas;
• anti-mine operations — this task is particularly relevant near ports and oil/gas platform areas, where traditional ships risk being blown up.

Although Israel does not have large combat USVs in public use, similar platforms are being actively tested in joint projects by defence companies, including Rafael Advanced Defence Systems and Elbit Systems.

Israel is actively integrating systems that combine surface USVs and aerial reconnaissance:

The Schiebel Camcopter S-100 is an unmanned aerial vehicle used as a reconnaissance platform by the Israeli Navy, working in close coordination with surface unmanned systems to enhance situational awareness.

Maritime Tracker is a software and hardware complex that synchronises data from maritime, air and coastal sensors, integrating them into a single information field.

This is not strictly a USV in the sense of autonomous boats, but it is an important part of an extended unmanned domain — where USVs and UAVs work together as a single network.

The Israeli Navy is already testing USVs in complex tactical scenarios:

• gas platform protection
• maritime border operations — monitoring maritime borders and providing cover from air and surface threats
• support for large-scale NATO and allied coalition naval operations
• autonomous patrols with minimal crew presence

The results are not always public yet, but it has been officially confirmed that tests are conducted regularly and that USVs participate in exercises where they provide a reconnaissance advantage.

The Israeli Navy has grown from using individual unmanned platforms to a systematic approach where USVs serve as scouts, extend the capabilities of the coast guard, operate in tandem with UAVs and other unmanned systems, and lay the foundation for autonomous combat applications.

Skana Robotics SeaSphere unmanned surface vessel

Israeli start-up Skana Robotics has developed technology that allows groups of marine drones to exchange data over long distances without surfacing.

The new feature for managing unmanned fleets is called SeaSphere — it solves one of the main problems of underwater operations: communication between devices.

Skana Robotics' breakthrough is not in a new way of transmitting signals, but in a radically more efficient use of existing acoustic channels.

Professor Teddy Lazebnik of Haifa University, who led the research, developed ‘semantic compression’ algorithms.

Instead of transmitting raw data from sensors, the system sends compact, high-level messages, allowing critical information to be squeezed into a narrow acoustic channel.

The second most important element of the system is distributed planning.

The devices can independently make decisions about the redistribution of tasks: transfer the detected object to the nearest neighbour, form a search line, or redirect part of the group for inspection while continuing to work within the framework of the fleet's overall mission.

The development team deliberately rejected the latest AI technologies, including large language models, in favour of more proven and mathematically sound algorithms. These provide more predictable and verifiable results. The company plans to release its technology to the mass market as early as 2026.

3. Spain

Spain is actively integrating unmanned surface platforms into its navy, while expanding their use for reconnaissance, patrol, maritime security, and interaction with manned ships. This is part of a broader trend of fleet modernisation, taking into account new autonomous technologies.

In 2025, the Spanish Navy officially unveiled the first unmanned surface vessel, Sead 23, created by the Spanish company Seadrone (Zelenza) specifically for military use. It is capable of performing a range of tasks, from surveillance and patrols to reconnaissance, escorting ships, searching for targets and conducting maritime surveys.

Sead 23 unmanned surface vessel

The Sead 23 boat is approximately 7 m long, has a displacement of up to 600 kg of payload and can reach speeds of up to 36 knots. Its modular design allows the platform to be equipped with various sensors, radar systems, optoelectronic complexes, as well as combat or special devices, including remotely controlled stations or light weapons.

Sead 23 is already being tested in cooperative operations with manned ships (manned-unmanned teaming), which allows the Spanish Navy to increase situational awareness and reduce the risk to crews in dangerous operations.

Since 2022, the Spanish company Navantia (a state-owned shipbuilding concern) has successfully integrated unmanned surface platforms on board BAM-class patrol ships ‘Audaz’ using the NAIAD (Naval Advanced Integrated Autonomous vehicles Defence system). This has enabled the ship's main combat system to receive data from USVs, transmit commands and control them in real time.

The Spanish Navy considers the introduction of USVs to be an important step in modernising the fleet and adapting to today's maritime security challenges. The new unmanned platforms not only expand the range of tasks that the fleet can perform, but also allow for more efficient resource management, reducing risks and costs.

4. Japan

The main project for unmanned surface platforms for the Japanese Navy is the OZZ-1, developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The USV will be used for reconnaissance, patrols and ship escort. The highly manoeuvrable modular unmanned platform is 8-12 m in size and equipped with an autonomous navigation system with GPS/INS and RADAR, which is integrated into the JMSDF ship control centre.

Unmanned surface vessel from the anti-mine complex of the frigate Mogami

The project features a modular architecture that allows the platform to be reconfigured for various tasks — from logistics and sensor missions to air defence and long-range strikes — through interchangeable containers.

OZZ-1 has successfully completed a series of tests for autonomous patrolling and real-time data transmission. It is one of the first Japanese USVs certified to operate alongside manned naval vessels.

The Japanese Defence Acquisition and Technology Agency (ATLA) is responsible for its implementation in collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Japan is developing a concept of manned-unmanned teaming for maritime patrols. USVs automatically perform long-term missions in Japan's exclusive economic zones (EEZ), where they can independently detect potential threats. In addition, USVs serve as ‘reconnaissance scouts,’ transmitting data to the command centres of large destroyers or frigates. USV platforms are also equipped with specific sensors that can independently intercept suspicious objects, preparing data for ship groups or coastal units.

USVs are used in conjunction with UAVs, underwater unmanned vehicles (UUVs) and coastal radars to obtain data for building a unified digital situational picture.

In the Japanese Navy, unmanned surface vessels are not just being tested — they are becoming part of a strategic programme to modernise the maritime defence forces. USVs are used for reconnaissance, long-term patrols of economic waters, support for mine countermeasures and combat operations, and as part of a broader networked system of autonomous platforms.

Japan is moving towards electronic and intellectual autonomy at sea, where USVs work side by side with manned ships, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and coastal systems, providing a new level of situational awareness and security.

5. United States

When it comes to unmanned fleets, the US Navy has long been considered the trendsetter. Billions in budgets, access to the best technology, and experience in global operations all created ideal conditions for maritime autonomy. However, the paradox is that the path for American USVs has proven to be much more difficult than expected.

Sea Hunter (Sea Hawk) unmanned surface ship

Today, the US Navy is a laboratory for future naval warfare, where experiments, ambitions and real limitations clash head-on.

The main programme for the US Navy's autonomous maritime platform USV is Sea Hunter (Sea Hawk). It is, without exaggeration, the icon of American USVs. It is 40 m long, has an autonomy of up to 70 days, and its main task is anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and fully autonomous navigation without a crew. Sea Hunter proved the fundamental possibility of long-term autonomous navigation in the ocean, but at the same time revealed the main problem facing the US: the experiment works, but serial implementation is stalling.

RANGER Large Unmanned Surface Vessel

The most ambitious and problematic programme is LUSV (Large Unmanned Surface Vessel). This autonomous device, the size of a corvette, is armed with vertical launch systems (VLS) and operates alongside manned ships. Congress has repeatedly frozen funding for the project. The issue of autonomous weapon use has sparked political resistance. Problems with reliability and control have also arisen. As a result, LUSV has become a symbol of technology outpacing doctrine.

NOMAD Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel

A more down-to-earth and practical direction is MUSV (Medium USV). With tasks of reconnaissance, electronic warfare, data relay and support for naval groups, MUSV is seen as a ‘floating sensor’ rather than an independent combat unit — and it is this approach that currently seems the most realistic.

Unmanned surface vessels in the US Navy are not a completed revolution, but a painful transition phase. The American fleet has a technological advantage, but faces institutional inertia, bureaucracy and the complexity of its own decisions.

6. China

If the United States is a laboratory for experiments, then today's Chinese Navy is a factory for serial autonomy.

China rarely talks openly about its unmanned fleets. It simply builds, tests and puts them into service. While Western fleets debate the legal limits of autonomy, Beijing acts according to its own logic: if the system works, the fleet needs it.

Today, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) views unmanned surface vessels not as an exotic accessory, but as an integral part of future naval warfare, especially in the First Island Chain zone.

The most notable Chinese project in the maritime unmanned programme is the JARI-USV. It is 15 metres long and armed with a missile launcher, a 30 mm cannon, torpedoes (ASW) and a short-range air defence missile system. The boat's tasks include escorting ships, reconnaissance, strikes and anti-submarine warfare. JARI is essentially an unmanned missile boat designed to operate as part of a swarm.

JARI unmanned surface vessel

A less public but conceptually important area is hybrid platforms capable of working together with underwater drones. In 2025, China demonstrated the HSU-001 surface-submarine complex to the world. It is part of a unified autonomous system where USVs:

• control underwater UAVs
• transmit data
• act as command nodes.

HSU-001 unmanned surface vessel. Demonstration 2025

China is also actively experimenting with small catamarans, high-speed USVs, and platforms for electronic warfare. Such vessels are regularly spotted during joint operations with coastal systems or patrolling artificial islands.

The greatest threat to the PRC in the field of unmanned surface systems is asymmetry. A $2 billion American destroyer may be forced to respond to dozens of cheap USVs, expend expensive missiles and reveal its position. But despite progress, problems remain, and China's weaknesses include dependence on satellite communication channels, vulnerability to electronic warfare, and less experience in actual combat use (unlike Ukraine). But China compensates for this with mass training and rapid adaptation. Therefore, unmanned surface vessels in the Chinese Navy are not an experiment or the future, but the present. Beijing is betting on mass production, simplicity and integration into military architecture, preparing not for an abstract war, but for a specific scenario around Taiwan. While the US is still asking, ‘Are we ready?’, China has already answered: ‘We are building.’

Chinas new large USV - JARI

The rapid transition of unmanned surface vehicles from experimental prototypes to full-fledged combat assets marks a historic shift in naval military doctrine.

Previously, autonomous systems were an auxiliary element, but the war between Russia and Ukraine has radically changed this situation.

Remotely controlled kamikaze boats have evolved and proven capable of neutralising large combat ships. At the same time, such vessels are significantly cheaper than classic anti-ship weapons.

The combat success of unmanned boats has taken global shipbuilding to a new level: the British company Kraken is developing low-profile boats for the US Special Operations Command and is also participating in the joint production of similar devices with Greece, which indicates the recognition of this technology by NATO countries.

Western countries are actively adopting Ukrainian experience: the US plans to build and launch fully-fledged autonomous ships, while South Korea is developing specialised AI for marine robots.

We have entered the era of unmanned surface vehicles, which has not only arrived but is changing the global balance of naval forces.