“We must end the mentality of ever larger platforms”: Why USVs are scaling
Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord, emphasised the importance of technological advancements in enhancing the Royal Navy's capabilities and deterrence against Russian threats in the North Atlantic. (Photo: author)
Multiple USV programme milestones announced last week, aligned with a reinforcement of the Royal Navy’s vision for a hybrid fleet, point to innovation-led ambition but also to a structural calculation with resource ceilings that neither London nor Washington can ignore.
A week rarely arrives in which a single theme runs so clearly. Yet last week delivered it: the US Navy (USN) reportedly outlined plans to field thousands of uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) in the Indo-Pacific; Saildrone unveiled a combat-capable 52m USV with vertical-launch strike capability; Rheinmetall and Kraken Technology Group moved from prototype to serial production; HII announced four additional ROMULUS 151 hulls entering manufacture; and Anduril Industries partnered with Kraken to bring a family of small USVs to USN service.
Delivering the inaugural Lord Fisher Lecture at RUSI on 29 April 2026, Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord, offered a
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US Coast Guard to receive the first three Offshore Patrol Cutters in FY2026 and FY2027]()
US Coast Guard to receive the first three Offshore Patrol Cutters in FY2026 and FY2027
After recording a nearly six-year delay in the OPC schedule, the USCG intends to advance with the programme, reaching multiple milestones in the short term.
-
![Japan’s first warship sale opens door to future exports but comes with strings attached]()
Japan’s first warship sale opens door to future exports but comes with strings attached
Australia’s selection of an upgraded Mogami-class frigate marks Japan’s first-ever export of a major surface combatant. With an ambitious 2029 delivery target, the deal could open the door to further naval exports – but inexperience and geopolitical friction with China loom large.
-
![Thinning Arctic ice reveals naval capability gaps and new opportunities]()
Thinning Arctic ice reveals naval capability gaps and new opportunities
As sea ice extent hits a record low and geopolitical tensions increase in the High North, navies are contending to adopt the technologies needed to operate beneath an increasingly unpredictable Arctic Ocean.
