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UK “rapidly developed” new naval drones for Ukraine

The UK Defense Procurement Minister mentioned “Wasp” and “Snapper” unmanned maritime vessel programs as undergoing final testing.
byYuri Zoria
07/02/2025
2 minute read
uk rapidly developed new naval drones ukraine destruction russian patrol ship sergey kotov black sea view ukrainian kamikaze drone 5 2024 sergei developing two unmanned maritime vessels (umv) called snapper
The destruction of a Russian patrol ship Sergey Kotov in the Black Sea. The view from a Ukrainian naval kamikaze drone. 5 March 2024. Screenshot: Defense Intelligence of Ukraine
UK “rapidly developed” new naval drones for Ukraine

The UK is developing two new unmanned maritime vessels (UMV) called Snapper and Wasp for Ukrainian forces, Naval Technology reports. The revelation came through UK parliamentary written responses.

This development follows Ukraine’s successful deployment of indigenous one-way attack naval drones alongside missiles against Russian forces in the Black Sea. Last year, the UK Ministry of Defense reported that 26 Russian Navy vessels were damaged or destroyed in the region between February 2022 and June 2024.

Revealed in UK parliamentary written responses on 4 February 2025, UK Defense Procurement Minister Maria Eagle mentioned the “Wasp” and “Snapper” UMV programs, previously referenced by Defence Secretary John Healey at the ADS Annual Dinner on 28 January, according to Naval Technology.

Eagle described both as “a new uncrewed maritime system” that had been “rapidly developed” to support Ukraine.

“The system is currently undergoing final testing, and further details will be set out in due course,” she stated.

The UK Ministry of Defense declined to provide additional details when contacted by Naval Technology.

No details clarify whether the UK-developed uncrewed vessels will function as one-use attack munitions or serve broader military roles.

Drone warfare innovations have become a defining feature of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Unmanned vehicles of various sizes, operating in the air, on land, and at sea, play a central role. Rapid technological advancements on both sides are not only shaping the conflict but also influencing other nations to develop and enhance their own drone capabilities for future battlefields.

Impact on naval warfare

Ukrainian forces have effectively used maritime drones to strike large surface combatants. Ukraine’s maritime drone fleet, in coordination with missile and aerial drone strikes, decimated a significant portion of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, forcing the remaining vessels to retreat to remote bases on the sea’s eastern coast.

Major-General Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence agency, attributed Russia’s withdrawal to Novorossiysk port to domestically produced drones.

GlobalData analysis identifies HUR’s Magura V5 uncrewed surface vessel (USV) as particularly significant – a 5.5-meter boat with an 800 km range, 78 km/h top speed, and 200 kg explosive payload capacity. Another well-known maritime drone, widely used by the SBU security service, is Sea Baby, a heavier vessel carrying up to 850 kg of explosives.

The latest developments are expanding USV roles beyond the “kamikaze” attack function to include anti-air missiles, unguided rockets, machine guns, and FPV drones.

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