The Blue Ops maritime division of US defense company Red Cat has launched full-scale serial production of its Variant 7 (V7) unmanned surface vessel. According to the head of the division, Barry Hinckley, the operational need for such systems already exists, and the platform was designed "for mass production in a configuration that meets the operational requirements of our customers."
In its press release, Red Cat repeatedly emphasizes that the V7 drone was "designed, built, and assembled in the United States." The company also notes that during prototype development, Blue Ops received support from Hodgdon Shipbuilding, a well-known US shipbuilder founded in 1816.
Read more: Ukraine's Magura V7 USV: New Photos Reveal Naval Drone Armed With Surface-to-Air Missiles at Sea
From the Defense Express perspective, the V7 can reasonably be considered a system derived from Ukraine’s Magura V7 design line, at least in its prototype and early configurations. When Red Cat entered the maritime drone segment in May 2025, it explicitly referred to cooperation with a manufacturer whose systems are being tested in real combat conditions. The published specifications of the V7 closely matched the Magura V7 concept.
At the same time, the details of this cooperation were never publicly disclosed. Now, however, US sources describe the V7 as an independent American development, despite the naming convention and early design alignment strongly reflecting the Ukrainian system. The final production version of the US V7 may nevertheless differ in several important aspects from its Ukrainian counterpart.
These differences may involve both structural design and internal systems. Red Cat states that the V7 integrates a US-developed suite of autonomous control, command, communications, and mission systems. The company also emphasizes that serial production prioritizes US-made components compliant with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The production rate of the V7 remains undisclosed. However, Red Cat previously announced cooperation with HADDY, a company specializing in production optimization technologies, including 3D printing. This partnership is expected to significantly increase V7 manufacturing output.
Like Ukraine's Magura, the V7 is a modular platform, and here too the US appears to be adopting Ukrainian operational concepts. In early spring, it was reported that the V7 would be equipped with the Bullfrog smart turret to enable countermeasures against long-range strike drones.
In March, Red Cat also announced the acquisition of Apium Swarm Robotics, a company specializing in autonomous swarm control systems, which are expected to be integrated, or may already be integrated, into the V7 platform.
Earlier, Defense Express reported that the BRAWLR air-defense system, previously tested in Ukraine, is now being integrated onto naval drones to intercept dozens of Shahed-type UAVs per mission.
Read more: Here's Why Magura V7 Uses the Priciest AIM-9X Missile, Not Ukrainian R-73 or Cheaper AIM-9M
