The French defense company Sirehna, a subsidiary of Naval Group, has set afloat the first prototype of its new multirole maritime drone, the Seaquest S. Measuring 10 meters in length, the unmanned vessel boasts an autonomous cruising endurance of 24 hours.
Working on this project, Sirehna drew on Ukraine's experience with unmanned boats in the Black Sea during its war against the russian federation, Defense News reports.
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Seaquest S is designed as a versatile platform capable of carrying different payloads depending on mission requirements, such as reconnaissance, electronic warfare, patrolling, anti-submarine warfare, or attacking surface vessels.
Interestingly, the Seaquest S' compact design allows it to be launched from French Navy warships, and it's currently the only naval drone with such capability, the manufacturer says.
Pierre-Antoine Fliche, Naval Group’s chief of unmanned systems, explained the decision to opt for a modular design:
"One of the things we’ve learned is the development cycle in Ukraine, where they move from one version to another every six months. It’s not just because they are fast, but because the adversary constantly adjusts its defenses," Fliche said.
Defense Express points out that the French approach reflects a key lesson from Ukraine’s use of maritime drones: rather than building entirely new models every six months, the engineers laid the foundation for further modernization of Seaquest S already at the design stage. This way, the system can be improved by simply replacing modules with better equipment.
However, the cost vs. effectiveness ratio is another question. Though it's too early to judge: currently, the Seaquest S project is still in its initial phase, with only the first model launched. A full series of tests will follow before the drone enters serial production.
Nonetheless, the Seaquest S represents a notable example of how Ukraine's maritime drone tactics have changed the global perspective on maritime weapons.
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