Unmanned underwater vehicle manufacturers have been on a roll for some time now. Demand for operators is growing. In March, Kraken announced that the Polish Navy had signed a new order for the KATFISH system for Kormoran II-class ships, to support mine countermeasures operations in complex shallow water conditions. Last month, the British Navy signed a contract with Teledyne for autonomous underwater vehicles.

The Belgian Navy recently acquired a new suite of mine countermeasures (MCM) systems from Belgium Naval and Robotics. This is a national consortium formed by the French shipbuilder Naval Group and the unmanned systems technology company Exail. The same company manufactures the A9-M. It is a lightweight, compact, and portable torpedo-like autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). It is designed for mine countermeasures and defensive missions. It is equipped with advanced sensors, high-resolution cameras, and sonar systems.

The Royal Swedish Navy will also receive another series of submersibles. The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) placed an order this year for additional GAVIA autonomous underwater vehicles and payload modules. This order follows the introduction of the first GAVIA systems to the Swedish Armed Forces in 2025.

Last year, the Indian Navy and the US Coast Guard requested new ROVs, and the Norwegian Armed Forces signed contracts for new USVs capable of operating at sea in the challenging conditions of the North Sea. A German manufacturer has launched a new USV design designed for torpedo launching.

The Australian Department of Defence has allocated A$176 million ($125 million USD) to the purchase of a fleet of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The USVs will be part of the same series as the 15 units previously delivered to the RAN. The newer USVs will be delivered over the next five years, with the first entering service in 2026.

Blue Water Autonomy, a Boston-based technology company and shipbuilder, announced that it intends to begin construction of a 190-foot autonomous unmanned surface vessel (USV) for the United States Navy. The steel-hulled vessel, dubbed the Liberty Class and with Level 4 autonomy, is a modification of Damen’s Stan Patrol 6009 hull. It will be equipped for military unmanned operations. The USV is being built at Conrad Shipyard in Louisiana.

In India, last year, domestic maritime technology startup EyeROV received a contract worth 470 million Indian rupees ($5.29 million) to supply new remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to the Indian Navy. Under the contract, EyeROV will provide the Navy with an ROV capable of performing tasks at depths of up to 300 meters. The ROV will have two HD/4K cameras with 10x zoom and will officially perform underwater reconnaissance, surveillance, and monitoring of critical infrastructure.

 

$30 Million for Drones
The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard have been investing in the development of underwater reconnaissance vehicles and autonomous attack units for several years. BlueHalo announced a year ago that it had secured a $30 million contract to support the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Expeditionary Standoff Response (MESR) program. The five-year, $30 million contract was signed by the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) and supports the U.S. Navy’s ongoing operations using Mission Specialist Defender systems.

Last year’s contract is a continuation of the U.S. Navy’s $92.6 million MESR contract signed with VideoRay in May 2024. For many years, the U.S. Navy has been implementing advanced underwater robotics technologies for reconnaissance, mine countermeasures, and underwater attack defense missions. “This new contract underscores the U.S. Navy’s commitment to adapting and adapting our commercial, off-the-shelf defense solutions to the evolving needs of expeditionary forces,” said Jonathan Moneymaker, CEO of BlueHalo, the American company announced in a press release announcing the contract.

Kormoran with American AUV
Kraken Robotics Inc. (TSX-V: PNG, OTCQB: KRKNF) of St. John’s, Newfoundland, has established itself in the Polish market. In March of this year, the company announced that it had secured a portfolio of contracts worth approximately $24 million for more than 10 customers in five countries. The orders include the supply of Kraken’s SeaPower batteries, KATFISH’s towed synthetic aperture sonar (SAS), and the Kraken SAS system.

“SeaPower battery sales remain strong, and several new customers further diversify our customer base in this area of ​​business.” Production of our batteries at our new facility in Nova Scotia will begin next month, significantly increasing our production capacity,” said Greg Reid, President and CEO of Kraken Robotics, announcing the new orders.

Greg Reid also emphasized the importance of acquiring the Polish market: “We are also pleased to announce that we have sold the new KATFISH system to the Polish Navy for its mine countermeasures program, and to SAS, to multiple defense customers for use on autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) platforms.”

The Canadian manufacturer notes that the Polish Navy first selected the KATFISH system in 2020. It was deployed on Kormoran II-class ships and will be used for mine countermeasures operations in shallow waters. Kraken emphasizes that the offered “batteries are pressure-resistant and provide high energy density for underwater underwater vehicles (UUVs) and subsea energy storage systems.”

Kraken Robotics announces that “The latest order was placed through Thesta, Kraken’s partner in Poland, which was appointed as an authorized distributor for the KATFISH system at last week’s Oceanology International trade show.” Kraken Robotics is headquartered in Canada with offices in North America, South America, and Europe, and markets its products in over 30 countries worldwide.

Long-Range ASV
The Coast Guard has received $350 million in funding for marine robotics and autonomous systems to protect the U.S. coasts in 2025. The funding was allocated through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Last year, $11 million was allocated “for the immediate modernization of autonomous systems, which the Coast Guard considers critical,” according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The domestic manufacturer Blue Water Autonomy, based in Massachusetts, will implement the unmanned marine vehicle expansion programs. It has signed a contract with Louisiana-based Conrad Shipyard to build new autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs). Blue Water previously secured $61 million for the design and construction of a full-scale, long-range ASV.

Norway also systematically leverages domestic companies to develop unmanned systems. One of the Reach Subsea contracts includes two additional USVs for Kongsberg Maritime. The third and fourth Reach Remote vehicles are scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2027. The terms of the contract were not disclosed.