At the Armiya-2024 military expo in russia, among displays of robotic howitzers, turrets, and aerial drones, is the Murena-300S, a remotely piloted kamikaze boat developed by LLC KB Center for Unmanned Systems.
The Murena-300S carries a 500-kg warhead and can reach speeds of up to 45 knots with an operational range of 500 kilometers, all features indicating that it was designed primarily for coastal operations. This is the extent of the official information disclosed at the event. Naval News, however, highlighted some additional details inferred from photos of the boat.
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Notably, there is a structural element that appears to be the antenna of a Starlink satellite internet terminal with its distinct flat square shape.
However, this assumption cannot be confirmed with the current data. If accurate, it would suggest that russia has managed to gain access to a large supply of Starlinks — at least on a scale sufficient for mass-producing unmanned surface vessels that basically cannot operate without the connectivity these wireless terminals provide.
Alternatively, it is possible that the developers of Murena-300S were simply inspired by the design of the Starlink antenna while making the receiver, or made it to resemble one intentionally. Equally possible is that a dummy was used for the exhibition model.
Overall, the Murena-300S seems to be a straightforward unmanned motorboat intended for coastal operations, namely for area patrolling, reconnaissance, mine laying, and mine clearance. Its use of a commercial outboard motor clearly indicates an intent to lower the production cost but technology-wise, it's comparable to improvised weapons used by Yemeni Houthis.
Worth adding, this is not russia's first attempt at developing a viable unmanned surface vehicle. But none of the previous projects, such as the GRK-700 Vizir boat presented in September 2023, have yet seen combat deployment against Ukraine or achieved serial production.
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