DSEI 2025 Naval Live Demo Showcases Unmanned Systems and Warship Innovations.

The DSEI 2025 naval live demonstration in London, UK,  has unveiled a lineup of unmanned systems and advanced warship displays, highlighting the latest breakthroughs in maritime defense.

The naval live demonstration held at DSEI 2025, the world-leading defense exhibition in London, United Kingdom, marked a pivotal moment in modern maritime warfare. On the waters of the Royal Docks, NATO navies and defense industry leaders presented a fully operational integration of manned warships and unmanned surface and underwater systems. The display provided a powerful illustration of how autonomous platforms are reshaping naval doctrine, force composition, and future procurement strategies.
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At DSEI 2025 in London, defense leaders unveiled live demonstrations of unmanned naval systems, signaling a strategic shift in modern maritime warfare that U.S. and allied navies are closely monitoring. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

Displayed as part of the maritime segment of DSEI 2025, Royal Navy vessels including HMS Iron Duke, a Type 23 frigate, and HMS Example, a P2000-class patrol vessel, served as command and coordination nodes for real-time integration with uncrewed systems. Allied warships such as Germany’s FGS Sachsen, a Sachsen-class air-defense frigate, and Belgium’s BNS Pollux, a Castor-class patrol ship, underscored NATO’s unified shift toward hybrid fleet operations.

The live demonstration on the Thames showcased cutting-edge uncrewed systems operating in tandem with crewed platforms. L3Harris demonstrated the Shadow Fox USV, capable of executing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions while also performing escort roles in contested maritime environments. ACUA Ocean’s Pioneer heavy-payload USV demonstrated autonomous long-range operations in simulated gray zone conditions, including payload deployment, situational awareness, and maritime domain monitoring.

Kraken Technology’s K3 SCOUT performed high-speed maneuvers and mission flexibility transitions, operating at speeds exceeding 50 knots with a modular payload capacity of 600 kilograms. The system demonstrated real-time tasking via open architecture software, highlighting how navies can deploy multi-role unmanned assets without restructuring legacy fleets.

One of the most anticipated moments of the naval demonstration came with the debut of SubSea Craft’s MARS system, an autonomous maritime drone built for high-threat, high-tempo operations. The system operated in live coordination with loitering munitions and EO/IR sensors, conducting reconnaissance and threat engagement simulations. MARS’s performance hinted at the growing relevance of swarming and distributed autonomous operations in future conflicts.

Command and control technologies were at the forefront of the DSEI 2025 naval showcase. MARSS presented its Autonomous Mission Management software platform, allowing a single operator to command multiple uncrewed systems across domains. Demonstrated during the live exercise, the platform automatically assigned sensor-equipped UAVs and USVs to respond to simulated maritime intrusions, completing detection-to-response cycles in seconds.

Orbit Communication Systems contributed a breakthrough in naval connectivity with its MPT30Ka SATCOM terminal, tested aboard a 12-meter USV. The terminal maintained encrypted two-way communications and real-time ISR data uplink under congested signal conditions. This proved that long-range autonomy and secure command can coexist even in denied environments.

Industry insiders point to a procurement evolution driven by affordability and resilience. Unlike capital ships that require years to build and billions in investment, many of the unmanned systems on display can be produced and deployed within months at a fraction of the cost. This responsiveness aligns with urgent naval needs in contested maritime zones such as the Baltic, the South China Sea, and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Crucially, the presence of traditional frigates and patrol ships operating side by side with autonomous vessels signaled that naval operations are becoming more distributed and networked. Risk can be reduced by deploying uncrewed platforms to perform high-threat tasks, while manned ships provide decision-making, coordination, and kinetic capabilities from stand-off ranges.

At DSEI 2025, the most consequential innovations were not confined to exhibit halls but played out on the water. Traditional warships maneuvered alongside autonomous vessels, forming a multi-domain operational environment. The combination of legacy platforms with uncrewed systems reflects a new doctrine where decision cycles are compressed, survivability is extended, and naval presence is redefined by persistent, modular, and connected capabilities.

The defense exhibition in London offered a clear look into the future of maritime power projection. The Royal Docks became a live testbed, not only for new technology but for a new model of naval warfare that emphasizes speed, autonomy, adaptability, and strategic integration.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.