Ukraine’s Security Service unveiled an upgraded sea drone that can operate across the Black Sea. Officials said it can carry heavier armaments and use artificial intelligence for targeting.
Ukraine has employed unmanned naval craft to strike Russian vessels and infrastructure in the Black Sea. The SBU said the Sea Baby sea drone forced Russia to alter naval operations.
The SBU reported range rose from one thousand to fifteen hundred kilometers. Officials added the craft can now bear about two thousand kilograms of payload.
At a public demo, models included boats fitted with a multiple-rocket launcher and a stabilized gun turret. SBU officials said the sea drone variants also launched small aerial attack drones during tests.
Brigadier General Ivan Lukashevych said the new boats use AI to distinguish friend from foe. He added they can deploy aerial drones and include layered self-destruct measures to avoid capture.
The SBU said sea drone strikes damaged eleven Russian vessels, including frigates and missile carriers. They said this caused the Russian navy to shift its main base from Sevastopol to Novorossiysk.
Operators control the craft remotely from a mobile command van with multiple screens. An operator using the call sign Scout said crew cohesion remains vital, military protocol showed.
Authorities kept demonstration time and location secret for security reasons. The program receives public donations and works with Ukraine’s military and political leadership.
Officials said the system evolved from disposable boats into a reusable, networked platform. They added new rocket armaments let operators strike from beyond enemy fire range.