DSEI 2025: Sea Dagger enhances UK Commando force projection through vehicle-carrying design.

At DSEI 2025, Leidos unveils the Sea Dagger, a new Commando Insertion Craft conceived for the Royal Navy under the UK Commando Force programme. The craft is presented as the first of its size to bring together speed, long-range endurance, vehicle delivery and modular mission systems within a single platform, reflecting a move toward greater autonomy in maritime operations.
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Drawing on decades of experience in fast-craft design, it incorporates technologies such as autonomous systems, command-and-control capabilities and integrated weaponry (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

The programme’s objective is to deliver 24 medium surface insertion craft capable of carrying Commando Strike teams, light tactical vehicles, offboard systems and medium combat loads over extended distances. Training and in-service support are built into the project, aiming for seamless integration into operational readiness.

Sea Dagger is designed to exceed 40 knots and has been shaped through collaboration between Leidos naval architects, military specialists, the Royal Navy and UK Commando Force. Drawing on decades of experience in fast-craft design, it incorporates technologies such as autonomous systems, command-and-control capabilities and integrated weaponry. Emphasis is placed on operational resilience, with the platform conceived to remain functional under stress, disruption or attack, thereby ensuring presence and continuity in contested environments.

Its introduction is aligned with broader objectives set out by AUKUS Pillar 2 on maritime autonomy and with the UK Strategic Defence Review, which prioritises rapid deployment and improved combat effectiveness. Sea Dagger directly addresses the challenges faced by specialised units in shallow and coastal waters, where conventional landing craft often face limitations. By merging advanced sensors, modular weapon systems and a design optimised for speed and endurance, it offers an approach that could reshape how naval forces conduct amphibious and littoral missions.

Unlike historical craft used mainly for near-shore landings, Sea Dagger adapts to the realities of modern conflict. It combines agility with autonomous features, enabling commando operations to be launched from further offshore while maintaining survivability and effectiveness. This development illustrates a shift in naval design thinking, integrating high-technology solutions into traditionally straightforward mission profiles.

The presence of this concept at DSEI 2025 highlights how the field of maritime operations could evolve. With greater autonomy, modularity and endurance, such platforms could change the way small units operate in constrained environments, offering faster response, wider tactical options and improved resilience against emerging threats.

Sea Dagger’s design reflects a growing trend in which new-generation craft no longer serve only as transport but as multi-role systems capable of adapting to varied missions. Its potential proliferation signals a broader transformation in amphibious warfare, where autonomous insertion craft may soon form a standard component of naval forces seeking to secure operational advantages in coastal and contested zones.

Written by Matt Delvoye - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition

Matt Delvoye holds degrees in political science from the University of Liège and the University of Brussels, with a specialization in international relations as well as defense and security policy. He works as a defense analyst at Army Recognition, where he covers international defense events and provides daily reporting on military equipment and industry developments.