Naval Drones

www.exail.com

world first with 1100-nautical-mile autonomous USV transit

Exail achieves world first with 1,100-nautical-mile autonomous USV transit across Gibraltar Strait with DriX O-16
www.exail.com www.exail.com
The 16-meter platform has just completed an unprecedented 1,100-nautical-mile (2,000 km) transit from La Ciotat – France, to Troia – Portugal, to join NATO’s REPMUS 2025 exercise.

Sailing past the Balearic Islands and through the Strait of Gibraltar, one of the world’s busiest maritime passages, the DriX O-16 completed the voyage in six days without port calls.

Operated in supervised autonomy from Exail’s Remote Operation Center (ROC) in La Ciotat, the mission demonstrated endurance, situational awareness, and reliable decision-making in dense traffic.

During the transit, the DriX O-16 also conducted seabed mapping operations with a Kongsberg EM304 multibeam echosounder, further demonstrating its capacity to deliver valuable data while underway.
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On a tangent:
www.bbc.com

Autonomous boats used to gather data in 'hurricane alley'

The autonomous boats were developed by Oshen, a start-up company based in Plymouth.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
Robotic sailboats developed by a start-up company based in Plymouth have been used to gather data in the Caribbean's "hurricane alley".

Oshen has deployed what it called a "constellation" of five C‑Star autonomous sailboats to the stretch of the Atlantic Ocean - where tropical storms often form.

The small, robotic sailboats - each just 1.2m (3.9ft) long - were selected by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the University of Southern Mississippi for the 2025 hurricane monitoring programme.
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Unguided 122mm rockets is certainly an interesting armament choice… id like to see these firing guided munitions of some sort.
 

Ukraine unveils Sea Baby USV armed with rockets and machine gun​

www.navalnews.com

Ukraine unveils Sea Baby USV armed with rockets and machine gun - Naval News

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has unveiled upgraded variants of its Sea Baby unmanned surface vehicle (USV), showcasing new offensive capabilities that include a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) and remote weapon station.
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Fincantieri launches its first ‘DEEP’ underwater drone system​

www.navalnews.com

Fincantieri launches its first 'DEEP' underwater drone system - Naval News

Fincantieri launched its first “DEEP” underwater drone system during a demonstration mission. The event marks a fundamental milestone for Fincantieri in the field of underwater technology, confirming the Group’s leadership in the underwater sector and consolidating a clear and advanced path of...
www.navalnews.com www.navalnews.com
 
Forest Green said:

Lockheed Martin to invest $50M into Saildrone, plans to equip USVs with missile launchers​

breakingdefense.com

Lockheed Martin to invest $50M into Saildrone, plans to equip USVs with missile launchers - Breaking Defense

This announcement is “transformational for us,” Saildrone CEO Richard Jenkins told Breaking Defense in an interview today.
breakingdefense.com breakingdefense.com
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Unusual Black Trimaran Drone Ship Spotted In Chinese Shipyard​

www.navalnews.com

Unusual Black Trimaran Drone Ship Spotted In Chinese Shipyard - Naval News

Hidden beneath tarpaulins, an uncommon sight at Chinese shipyards, a new trimaran-hulled vessel appears to combine features of both surface ships and submarines.
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NemoSens Micro-AUV of RTsys enhances Ukraine’s Underwater Demining Efforts​

www.navalnews.com

NemoSens Micro-AUV of RTsys enhances Ukraine’s Underwater Demining Efforts - Naval News

RTsys has supported French company GEOMINES pioneering a six-week training program for 24 operators from Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (SESU), deploying the world’s only commercially available micro-AUV system currently operational in active conflict zones.
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Forest Green said:
I wonder will any drones be produced that deliver naval mines to the mouth of naval bases?
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That's what Mk67 SLMM was for. And the replacement unit, CML(?) CDM. Basically an electric torpedo to get there, then it sinks to the bottom and waits.

Offensively, that's the job of something submerged, not scooting around on the surface.

Edit: Defensively, you could use something on the surface, but I would not want to send a manned boat/ship out to maintain such a minefield once laid.
 
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NMaude said:
Is that something similar to the Mk-60 CAPTOR?
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Sounds similar in nature with the difference being that CAPTORs can be delivered by submarine, ship or aircraft, whereas SLMMs are sub-only. SLMM also sound like a torpedo that lays mines, whereas CAPTOR contains a Mk46 torpedo that is deployed and waits around for a target, like a mine, but then activates torpedo mode. As a result the target doesn't have to come as close to get a dose.

en.wikipedia.org

Mark 60 CAPTOR - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org

Submarine Launched Mobile Mines - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
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Scott Kenny said:
That's what Mk67 SLMM was for. And the replacement unit, CML(?). Basically an electric torpedo to get there, then it sinks to the bottom and waits.

Offensively, that's the job of something submerged, not scooting around on the surface.

Edit: Defensively, you could use something on the surface, but I would not want to send a manned boat/ship out to maintain such a minefield once laid.
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I believe the new SLMM replacement has the acronym MEDUSA. There is also the Cladestinely Deployed Mine, which appears to more or less be a modern Stonefish and should have entered service several years ago, and a new CAPTOR called Hammerhead that is probably in testing.
 
NMaude said:
Is that something similar to the Mk-60 CAPTOR?
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No, it’s a mk37 modified to swim out along a pre routed course and then sink as a bottom mine. MEDUSA would use an electric motor section to drop two CDMs. There was briefly a mk48 project to deploy two mines each as well that was cancelled in the late 90s/early 2000s IIRC.
 

Anduril is building MASC autonomous warships with HD Hyundai​

www.navalnews.com

Anduril is building MASC autonomous warships with HD Hyundai - Naval News

Anduril Industries and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries are partnering to design and produce MASC autonomous warships with HD Hyundai
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Singapore begins construction of Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vessels​

www.navalnews.com

Singapore begins construction of Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vessels - Naval News

The first mine countermeasures (MCM) unmanned surface vessel (USV) is planned for delivery to the Republic of Singapore Navy in 2027.
www.navalnews.com www.navalnews.com
 
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Babcock’s ARMOR poised to deliver Royal Navy’s Autonomous Ambition on Command​

https://twitter.com/x/status/1998007392257081854

www.navalnews.com

Babcock’s ARMOR poised to deliver Royal Navy’s Autonomous Ambition on Command - Naval News

On December 8, 2025, Babcock has unveiled transformational plans to support the UK Royal Navy’s next generation autonomous ambitions.
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UK unveils new undersea warfare technology to counter threat from Russia​

www.navalnews.com

UK unveils new undersea warfare technology to counter threat from Russia - Naval News

The UK has unveiled work on its groundbreaking Atlantic Bastion programme, which will make Britain more secure secure from Russian undersea threats in the North Atlantic through a transformation of the Royal Navy and its submarine-hunting capabilities.
www.navalnews.com www.navalnews.com
 
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China’s New Underwater Drones Could Threaten West Coast U.S.​

www.navalnews.com

China’s New Underwater Drones Could Threaten West Coast U.S. - Naval News

The vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, over 5,000 nautical miles across, protects the West Coast of the United States against Chinese naval forces in the event of a war. The appearance of new extra-extra-large underwater drones (XXLUUVs) changes this, providing China with low-risk options to...
www.navalnews.com www.navalnews.com

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Thales Launches Sonar 76Nano to Meet NATO Underwater Battlespace Requirements​

www.navalnews.com

Thales Launches Sonar 76Nano to Meet NATO Underwater Battlespace Requirements - Naval News

Thales is launching Sonar 76Nano, a compact, miniaturised acoustic detection system designed to meet maritime security underwater sensing requirements.
www.navalnews.com www.navalnews.com
NATO navies are acquiring maritime uncrewed systems as host platforms for much of this increased sensing capacity. Thales has designed Sonar 76Nano largely for such uncrewed systems. “Thanks to its modular and flexible design, this sonar system can be deployed onboard a wider range of uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs) and seabed monitoring systems rather than being limited to large, high-value platforms,” Thales said, in a statement on 15 December.
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First naval drone strike on a submarine. Although how they attained the footage is even more interesting.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2000583195406832116
View: https://x.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/2000583195406832116?s=20

https://twitter.com/x/status/2000883487239286833
View: https://x.com/NOELreports/status/2000883487239286833?s=20

Ukraine strikes Russian submarine with ‘Sub Sea Baby’ drone​

www.navalnews.com

Ukraine strikes Russian submarine with 'Sub Sea Baby' drone - Naval News

The Security Service of Ukraine reported that it had struck an Improved Kilo-class submarine at the Russian naval base at Novorossiysk. The attack was carried out with a “Sub Sea Baby” drone.
www.navalnews.com www.navalnews.com

Targeted sub now sitting much lower than its buddy, notice the disappearance of the tail behind the two dots.
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The other two subs have now been moved, but the targeted one is static.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2000958140934762569
View: https://x.com/Schizointel/status/2000958140934762569?s=20

https://twitter.com/x/status/2001653278182928527
View: https://x.com/NOELreports/status/2001653278182928527?s=20



https://twitter.com/x/status/2000581616901435398
 
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