Canadian Navy conducts first test of Hammerhead kamikaze USV to assess future uncrewed attack capabilities.

On July 16, 2025, the Royal Canadian Navy confirmed it had, for the first time, armed and deployed an explosive-laden Hammerhead uncrewed surface vessel (USV) during Exercise Trident Fury 2025. The event took place off the west coast of Vancouver Island and involved the launch of the Hammerhead from HMCS Vancouver, with control maintained via a satellite link.
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For the first time in its history, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) has successfully deployed a kamikaze uncrewed surface vessel (USV), inspired in part by the tactics employed by Ukraine’s explosive drone boat attacks in the Black Sea. (Picture source: Canadian Navy)

The explosive-filled vessel was directed into a second Hammerhead USV and detonated. This test, conducted by the Advanced Naval Capabilities Unit (ANCU) in cooperation with the Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) and the crew of HMCS Vancouver, demonstrated a shift in the traditional use of these platforms, which until now had been employed exclusively as training targets simulating small boat attacks. While officials emphasized that this test does not yet represent a tactically viable operational capability, they indicated it could become one with further development. Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, stated that the concept was developed in two months, using equipment already in service.

The Hammerhead USV, built by QinetiQ Target Systems, was initially procured in 2017 through a $4.7 million deal intended to improve training against threats such as pirate speedboats and other fast inshore attack craft. The vessel is 5.2 meters long, weighs 900 kg dry, and is powered by a 135-horsepower MerCruiser 3.0L engine. It reaches speeds of 35 knots in Sea State 3 and up to 40 knots in calmer seas. It can function as a single unit or as part of a swarm of up to 40 vehicles. The Hammerhead can simulate straight-line attacks, crossing and zigzag patterns, and evasive maneuvers. It supports both Line-of-Sight and Over-the-Horizon control modes. Payloads can include visual augmentation systems, passive and active radar enhancements, and infrared signature devices. Previously used to evaluate the performance of systems such as Harpoon, Exocet, RBS 15, Sea Sparrow, Phalanx, and naval guns, the Hammerhead's conversion into a live-armed vessel represents a new phase of experimentation by the RCN.

This test reflects a broader Canadian interest in asymmetric maritime capabilities. The RCN drew direct inspiration from Ukraine’s use of uncrewed explosive boats against the Russian Black Sea Fleet, a tactic that allowed for low-cost precision strikes on larger vessels. The RCN’s leadership and spokespersons, including Capt. Pedram Mohyeddin of Maritime Forces Pacific, have characterized this trial as a proof-of-concept that is scalable. According to Vice-Admiral Topshee, the objective was to determine whether existing resources could be repurposed to deliver explosive payloads remotely, which was successfully achieved. This follows public comments by Capt. Sam Patchell, Deputy Commander of Canada’s Pacific Fleet, who linked the Trident Fury 2025 scenarios to real-world developments such as Ukraine’s maritime drone use. Canada’s vast 243,000-kilometer coastline and limited shipbuilding output have led to increasing interest in lower-cost, scalable naval platforms. Some of Canada’s ship repair and construction work has been outsourced to shipyards in South Korea and Japan due to domestic capacity limitations. Domestically manufactured USVs could help address capability gaps while supporting Canadian industry.

The Royal Canadian Navy’s Advanced Naval Capabilities Unit (ANCU) plays a central role in integrating uncrewed maritime systems. ANCU evolved from previously existing specialized naval units and operates in domains that overlap conventional and advanced warfare. Its missions include Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO), Force Protection (FP), Harbour Defence (HD), and the operation of uncrewed air, surface, and subsurface systems. ANCU provides personnel such as Maritime Tactical Operators and Maritime Tactical Coxswains, with roles in high-risk boarding, shoreline operations, port security, and high-speed small boat maneuvering. It also supports the Naval Training System and deploys globally to assist allied and partner forces. The unit’s UXS Operators specialize not in specific platforms but in the rapid onboarding of new systems, evaluation of emerging technologies, and the development of training methodologies to integrate them into the Canadian Armed Forces. Their work spans intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), underwater environmental awareness, and maritime domain awareness.

Canada’s exploration of armed uncrewed maritime platforms coincides with long-term policy planning for enhanced surveillance and defense in the Arctic and other contested maritime spaces. According to the Conference of Defence Associations Institute, maritime autonomous systems (MAS), or "ghost fleets," are being studied for potential deployment in areas where traditional crewed vessels are limited by environmental or logistical constraints. MAS offers the possibility of extending operational reach while reducing personnel exposure. Panelists including VAdm (Ret.) Bob Davidson, Commander Ryan Bell, and Kate Todd emphasized the need for optionally-crewed platforms and standardized interoperability with NATO and Five Eyes partners. They highlighted Canadian firms such as OSI Maritime Systems, Cellula Robotics, and Kraken Robotics, which are already active in producing AI-driven navigation systems and autonomous underwater vehicles. These companies could contribute to an indigenous supply chain if Canada pursues the domestic production of armed or surveillance-oriented drone boats and submersibles.

Strategic integration of uncrewed systems is being planned across all maritime domains. The RCN’s experience with aerial drones began in 2011 with ScanEagle and later included Puma UAVs, with current expansion involving longer-range and sensor-integrated systems. Trials are ongoing involving UAVs launched from USVs and UUV-to-USV-to-UAV data relay chains. Concepts under development include the use of tethered drones capable of detaching to investigate targets and drone motherships such as the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s Stirling Castle in the UK. Canadian projects under the “Persistent Maritime Sensor Suite” include long-duration underwater patrols with XL UUVs in the Northwest Passage, seabed sensor networks, and increased sensor integration aboard Harry DeWolf-class Arctic patrol vessels. As infrastructure projects such as the Northern Operational Support Hubs and the Polar Communications project advance, these capabilities are expected to be deployed more broadly in Arctic waters.

The concept of explosive-laden uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), or kamikaze drone boats, has historical roots extending over a century. As early as World War I, the German Navy experimented with wire-guided motorboats known as Fernlenkboote, which carried up to 700 kilograms of explosives and were steered toward Allied targets. In World War II, both Italy and Germany developed manned and remotely controlled explosive boats such as the Italian MT explosive motorboat and the German Linse craft. These platforms sought to deliver warheads directly to enemy vessels but were limited by the era’s technological constraints. The first confirmed use of a fully uncrewed suicide boat in modern combat occurred on January 30, 2017, when Yemen’s Houthi forces used a remote-controlled explosive boat to strike the Saudi frigate Al Madinah in the Red Sea, resulting in fatalities and structural damage. Since then, Ukraine has employed such systems extensively against Russian naval assets in the Black Sea, leading to damage or destruction of several ships. These operations have spurred widespread international interest in the development and tactical use of kamikaze USVs.

Armed forces across multiple regions now view kamikaze USVs as an emerging asymmetric capability with strategic and tactical potential. Ukraine’s success in the Black Sea has influenced NATO members, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, to test similar systems or explore operational concepts based on remote-controlled maritime strike platforms. In the Middle East, the Houthis continue to use drone boats against commercial and military vessels, prompting security responses from regional and international naval forces. China has reportedly advanced its development of autonomous or optionally-crewed naval strike platforms, including small submarines and surface craft capable of carrying payloads. These systems are seen as cost-effective tools for contested maritime zones, capable of conducting high-risk missions without endangering personnel. While most armed forces continue to mandate human oversight for lethal missions, the increased deployment of kamikaze USVs has raised new discussions about doctrine, deterrence, and escalation dynamics in naval warfare.