It American Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) released the first video of the tests with the experimental unmanned ship Usx-1 defiantdeveloped under the groundbreaking No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS)-plan.
Immediately Water displacement of 240 tons and a length of 55 meters the defiant was built by the company Serco by the Nichols Brothers Boat Builders-Scheepswerf in Freeland, in the state of Washington. The Zeetests started in March 2025 and mark a new chapter in military shipbuilding.
+ Click here to watch the video of the USX-1 Defiant
Radically unmanned design
The Nomars program proposes a revolutionary change in maritime architecture. Unlike conventional ships, the USX-1 designed from the start to operate completely without human presence – Even spaces or systems for crew accommodation are not included in the design.
According to Darpa, the project, by completely eliminating the human factor, aims to eliminate the size and costs to lower the ship, the Hydrodynamic Efficiency to improve, more seaworthiness to guarantee and the Survival opportunities in combat situations thanks to its stealth capacities, autonomy and resistance to external influences.
Advanced navigation and observation technology
To guarantee safe and autonomous navigation, the Defiant is equipped with the modern forward -facing sonar Argos fls from the company FarSounder. This sonar is integrated into the navigation system and offers real -time situational awareness and support in avoiding obstacles.
In addition, the ship is equipped with the automatic route planning system TVOSdeveloped by the British company Thyrwhich strengthens the possibility of the ship to operate completely independently of people.
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A new era for maritime warfare
With the USX-1 Defiant, Darpa is taking a concrete step towards the future of autonomous maritime operations. Although the ship is not equipped with weapon systems, it serves as a test platform for the development of a new generation of more effective, more resilient and unobtrusive unmanned vessels – able to operate in hostile environments without human lives.
Source and images: DARPA. This content was made with the help of AI and controlled by the editors.
