DSEI 2025: British MARS Autonomous Naval Drone Integrated Into Combined Operations with Sensors and Loitering Munitions.

At DSEI 2025, SubSea Craft presents MARS, an uncrewed naval system designed to meet the demands of today’s and tomorrow’s contested environments. The acronym stands for Autonomous Maritime Disruption for the Modern Battlespace. MARS is introduced as a versatile platform capable of operating beyond the usual range and risk thresholds associated with manned assets.
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MARS can be employed in two primary ways: as an autonomous asset operating independently, or as part of manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) operations (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Developed, designed, and launched in only one hundred days, MARS illustrates an industrial approach prioritizing speed of execution and adaptability. Its modular structure allows deployment from medium to large surface platforms already in service, which reduces the need for additional infrastructure. Built with a low-signature profile and designed for high-speed operations, MARS provides a means to conduct missions across a spectrum of scenarios where traditional vessels are either unsuitable or too exposed.

MARS can be employed in two primary ways: as an autonomous asset operating independently, or as part of manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) operations. In the first case, it is able to deliver effects without human presence on board, thereby reducing exposure to threats. In the second, it complements manned vessels by extending their reach, increasing situational awareness, and providing layered defense. Operationally, it is designed to function in blue water, littoral zones, and inland waterways, which broadens the scope of its potential employment.

Its modular payload capacity is one of its defining characteristics. MARS can integrate both kinetic and non-kinetic effectors, ranging from surveillance sensors and ISR suites to loitering munitions. The integration of Anduril’s ALTIUS drone system further enhances its strike and reconnaissance capabilities, giving it the ability to support persistent intelligence gathering while also delivering precision effects against designated targets. Such versatility allows operators to tailor the platform for maritime domain awareness, persistent ISR, counter-uncrewed systems, and full-spectrum ISTAR missions.

Designed to integrate within scalable C5ISR networks, MARS can function as part of broader command and control architectures. This interoperability extends to both conventional and asymmetric assets, enhancing the resilience and responsiveness of naval forces. Its development pathway has also been international in scope: built in the United Kingdom, trialed in Australia, and tested with U.S. payloads, demonstrating adaptability across different operational and industrial environments.

The current operational context reinforces the relevance of such systems. The war in Ukraine, particularly the maritime confrontation in the Black Sea, has highlighted the disruptive potential of uncrewed surface vessels. These systems have been used for strikes against larger naval assets, for persistent surveillance in degraded communications environments, and for exerting pressure on adversaries by saturating defensive networks. This evolution has shown that naval power is no longer measured solely by the number of large surface combatants, but increasingly by the integration of uncrewed systems into force structures.

In this environment, MARS positions itself as a platform aligned with these emerging requirements. By combining speed, modularity, and adaptability, it enables forces to project effects without exposing crews, to extend operational reach, and to respond rapidly to evolving threats.

SubSea Craft establishes itself as a British developer engaged in the production of uncrewed naval platforms intended for contemporary and future maritime operations. With MARS, the company reflects a broader shift in naval warfare, where uncrewed, modular, and rapidly deployable systems are no longer peripheral but central to naval strategy. Their ability to proliferate across multiple navies and integrate with existing platforms suggests that such systems will increasingly define the balance of maritime power in the years ahead.