Ukraine Upgrades Naval Drones as US Adopts Technology

The Security Service of Ukraine has upgraded its Sea Baby naval drones to function as launch platforms for thermobaric Shmel rockets and first-person-view (FPV) attack drones. These autonomous vessels can carry six to eight FPV drones, some utilizing fiber-optic cables to circumvent Russian radio jamming. The upgraded systems feature a 4,400-pound payload and a range of 930 miles.

Alongside the Sea Baby, Ukraine employs Magura drones produced by Uforce for the military intelligence directorate. These combined naval technologies have damaged approximately a dozen Russian warships and forced the Black Sea Fleet to relocate its operations to Novorossiysk. Ukrainian naval forces also recently led a NATO red team during the REPMUS exercise in Portugal.

The United States is now integrating these systems into its own strategic framework. U.S. special forces utilized a Magura drone during the Balikatan 2026 exercise in the Philippines. The U.S. Navy intends to deploy thousands of similar uncrewed surface vessels in the Indo-Pacific by 2030 to prepare for potential conflict with China.