The UK Ministry of Defence is moving ahead with plans to procure uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) as part of its strategy to transform the Royal Navy into a hybrid force that integrates both crewed and uncrewed platforms.
Under the initiative, Kraken Technology Group, based in Fareham, has secured a 12.3-million-pound ($16.4 million) contract to deliver 20 USVs for the navy. The procurement follows the service’s announcement in November 2025 to develop such a fleet through Project Beehive.
Each domestically developed vessel incorporates a Modular Open Systems Architecture, enabling easier upgrades and integration of new capabilities over time.
The USVs will be operated by the Coastal Forces Squadron and 47 Commando, where they will serve as platforms for training, experimentation, and the development of new naval tactics and operational concepts in preparation for a hybrid fleet.
Toward a Hybrid Navy
In September 2025, Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord, outlined the navy’s vision of deploying both crewed and autonomous platforms aboard the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier.
He also revealed plans to introduce the navy’s first jet-powered carrier-launched drone by 2026, designed to operate alongside the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II and carry out both kinetic and non-kinetic missions.
Supporting this shift toward a hybrid force, the navy conducted a 72-hour trial off Scotland in October 2025, during which remotely operated Rattler boats successfully escorted Royal Navy warships.
