Historical developments in USV, UUV and UGV systems. Original milestones, source-linked evidence and reviewed UXV Searcher analysis.
Military Region 7 established an Unmanned Vehicle Battalion on June 29. Official reporting explicitly includes surface-domain operations, so the row qualifies under the defense-USV scope despite the multi-domain unit designation.
Original event: 29 Jun 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
The July 21 contractor-selection result identified Vietnamese Composite Material Produce Company Limited at VND 519.515 million for one high-speed USV under IB2600242853-00. The procurement documentation gives a 30-day performance requirement. The row records contractor selection/result; a separate signed-contract date is not inferred.
Original event: 21 Jul 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
The August 14 workshop confirmed an active Military Ship Design Institute program for a fiber-optic-controlled kamikaze USV. The row represents active development status; inception date, cost, quantity and test status were not disclosed.
Original event: 14 Aug 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
Z189 was identified as working on kamikaze-USV configuration and tactical-technical characteristics. The event is an active design/development line and not production or procurement.
Original event: 14 Aug 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
The August 14 workshop disclosed development of a USV designed to carry a kamikaze UAV. It is retained separately because the carrier mission and payload architecture differ materially from the fiber-optic kamikaze USV.
Original event: 14 Aug 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
Z173 was identified as developing two types of small kamikaze USV. 'Two types' describes variants and is not converted into two physical units. Cost, quantity and production status remain undisclosed.
Original event: 14 Aug 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
The General Department of Defence Industry held an August 14 workshop coordinating research and production plans for military USVs and UUVs. The meeting identified active USV work at the Military Ship Design Institute, Z173 and Z189 and directed a coordinated path toward production.
Original event: 14 Aug 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
In March 2026, Royal Navy mine-warfare personnel continued operator training on the SeaCat medium UUV under the Mine Hunting Capability program. The course covered system operation, mission planning, deployment, recovery, data exploitation, and routine maintenance for autonomous mine-countermeasure missions.
Original event: March 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
On May 25, 2026, SeaCat autonomous underwater capability was embarked on RFA Lyme Bay as part of the Royal Navy's minehunting package for a potential Gulf mission. The vehicle was intended to produce detailed sonar pictures of the seabed to support mine-countermeasure activity.
Original event: 25 May 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
In July 2026, Royal Navy Zulu Unit 2 personnel received SeaCat UUV training from the Mine and Threat Exploitation Group's Operational Conversion Unit at Faslane. The Royal Navy linked the training to the unit's role in detecting and identifying seabed objects in the Clyde area in direct support of Continuous At-Sea Deterrent activity.
Original event: July 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
On June 29, 2026, the Ministry of Defence announced development of the Type 93 extra-large uncrewed underwater vessel for the Royal Navy under Atlantic Bastion. Type 93 is intended to work alongside crewed hunter-killer submarines and strengthen anti-submarine-warfare capability.
Original event: 29 Jun 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
On June 25, 2026, the Submarine Delivery Agency published the SCYLLA 2A Pre Trial requirement in the acquisition pipeline with an estimated value of GBP 3.6 million excluding VAT. The planned work would address issues identified during earlier trials and prepare AUV-related hardware for possible future trial activity.
Original event: 25 Jun 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
On July 7, 2026, the Submarine Delivery Agency published a UK5 transparency notice proposing a direct award to L3Harris MAPPS for SCYLLA 2A Interim work. The GBP 3.6 million excluding-VAT requirement would address issues from previous trials and preserve interoperability with the United States Navy solution under the wider AUKUS context.
Original event: 7 Jul 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
On April 24, 2026, the Ministry of Defence opened preliminary market engagement for modular AUV integration frames under requirement 715850540. The requirement covers design, manufacture, delivery, sea-fastening design, assembly/disassembly and support for frames used to integrate containerised AUV equipment onto vessels with different deck configurations.
Original event: 24 Apr 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
On January 12, 2026, HII doubled the size of its unmanned-systems facility in Portchester, England. The expanded site increases operational, technical, and logistics support capacity for Royal Navy and European users of REMUS UUVs. The announcement concerns sustainment infrastructure and does not disclose a new Royal Navy UUV order. (HII)
Original event: 12 Jan 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
On April 17, 2026, NATO DIANA announced an R&D contract between Defence Research and Development Canada and UK-based HonuWorx. The engineering study covers extending the operating depth of the Loggerhead autonomous subsea mothership and developing simulation tools for deeper-water missions.
Original event: 17 Apr 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
On June 15, 2026, the Submarine Delivery Agency published a contract-award notice for intended direct follow-on work with M Subs covering CETUS / XV Excalibur trials and evaluation.
Original event: 15 Jun 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026
The CETUS Trials and Evaluation contract with M Subs Ltd was signed on June 24, 2026 at GBP 6.68014721 million excluding VAT for trials using the existing XV Excalibur demonstrator.
Original event: 24 Jun 2026
Published: 10 Oct 2026