British company Uforce is developing unmanned drone boats to enhance the Royal Navy’s maritime capabilities, building on proven technology used by Ukraine to target Russian naval forces in the Black Sea. The firm, originally Ukrainian and now based in London, unveiled the MV7 — an advanced drone vessel designed for long-range strikes, reconnaissance, and a variety of defense missions across the Atlantic.
The MV7 was introduced last month from a classified location off Britain’s south coast. It draws on the design of Ukraine’s “Magura” unmanned surface vessels (USVs), which have played a critical role in multiple attacks against Russian warships during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Uforce said it combined the experience of frontline drone operators with expertise from British Formula 1 engineers to develop a version suited for harsher ocean conditions and more complex naval tasks.
Oleg Rogynskyy, chief executive of Uforce, explained that the company moved to the UK after its drones effectively disabled much of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, including the flagship Moskva, early in the war. Ukrainian forces leveraged these kamikaze drones and other anti-ship weapons to force a significant Russian naval retreat.
The Royal Navy’s chief, Sir Richard Knighton, commended Ukraine’s innovative use of maritime drones, describing it as an example of how a navy can neutralize a much larger adversary through creative and determined operations. Rogynskyy noted that the Ukrainian government supports Uforce’s expansion into Western defense markets.
Since establishing a UK presence three years ago, Uforce has tailored the MV7 to meet the different requirements of the Royal Navy and NATO partners. Unlike the one-way attack missions carried out in the Black Sea, these drones must be reusable, capable of operating autonomously for weeks, and able to perform multiple functions such as anti-submarine warfare and protection of undersea infrastructure like cables and wind farms.
One potential application for the MV7s includes intercepting Russian warships or sanctioned oil tankers that covertly operate in or near British waters, part of what Rogynskyy described as efforts against Russia’s so-called Shadow Fleet. The drones are designed to operate in coordinated swarms, with specialized roles—some carrying up to 600 kilograms of explosives and others outfitted with advanced sensor packages.
Rogynskyy argued that regaining Britain’s maritime strength depends on integrating large numbers of autonomous vessel systems into the fleet, marking a significant shift toward uncrewed naval warfare.
In March, Uforce announced a $50 million seed funding round, the largest ever for a UK defense startup, valuing the company at over $1 billion. The investment is expected to accelerate further development and deployment of these unmanned maritime systems.