sea drone Archives

A Barracuda unmanned surface vessel undergoes testing in southern Ukraine, on March 30, 2026. The multifunctional drone boat is developed by the Barracuda unit of the 40th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade, part of the 30th Marine Corps of the Ukrainian Navy. It features a modern tracking system, remote control, and artificial intelligence elements. (Photo by Nina Liashonok/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Unmanned warfare has now expanded to the high seas. Is the U.S. ready?

The American military’s recent success with autonomous platforms — as well as the unmanned advances of partners like Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan — offers three main lessons…

Oct 7, 2026 By Vice Adm. Michael Connor (ret.) Yoni Tobin

HII’s ROMULUS 151 unmanned surface vessel in production at Breaux Brothers in New Iberia, Louisiana. (Photo courtesy of HII)

Navy to procure 30 robotic ships at an average cost of $40M per vessel

The announcement comes less than a week after the service established a Robotic and Autonomous Systems Warfighting Development Center that’s expected to play a major role in…

Sep 30, 2026 By Jon Harper