DSEI 2025: UK's SubSea Craft Victa transforms from fast surface vessel to submarine for deployment of special forces.

At the Defence and Security Equipment International 2025 exhibition in London, SubSea Craft presented the Victa Class Diver Delivery Unit (DDU), a maritime platform that merges surface and subsurface transit into a single craft. The Victa is designed for high-speed surface travel followed by a rapid transition into a submerged, wet mode for covert approaches.
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The Victa’s combination of surface range and airdrop potential allows commanders to stage insertions across wide theaters, including island chains or archipelagic environments, with the craft and team entering the water near the objective after a parachute delivery or sailing from port to the release point. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The SubSea Craft Victa DDU has been developed with input from operators, military strategists, and logistical support elements from multiple countries. The craft is intended for use in maritime, joint, and special operations, either as an independent asset or as a force multiplier through manned, remote, or autonomous control. Its development reflects an emphasis on modularity, adaptability, and deployment flexibility in order to carry personnel, supplies, or specialized mission equipment into contested waters.

The Victa measures 11.95 meters in length, has a beam of 2.3 meters, a height of 2 meters, and a draught of 0.6 meters, with a displacement of approximately 9,315 kilograms at full load. The vessel accommodates two crew members and up to six embarked operators, totaling eight personnel. It combines the speed and range of a long-range insertion craft with the stealth of a swimmer delivery vehicle. Surface propulsion is provided by a marinised Seatek diesel engine generating 725 horsepower, connected to Rolls-Royce Kongsberg Kamewa waterjets, allowing the vessel to reach 40 knots and cover 250 nautical miles on the surface. Submerged propulsion uses two 20 kW marine electric thrusters and four Copenhagen vertical thrusters for fine control, producing an underwater endurance of four hours, a submerged speed of up to 8 knots, and a subsurface range of 25 nautical miles. Transition from surface to subsurface takes about two minutes, with a maximum dive depth of 30 meters.

The hull is constructed from carbon fibre and Diab core composite materials, providing a high strength-to-weight ratio while maintaining adaptability for mission-specific requirements. Forward and rear hydroplanes, coupled with vertical thrusters, ensure stability when submerged. The flooded hull design stabilizes handling underwater, while the fly-by-wire control system integrates both surface and underwater navigation into a unified interface. This system reduces pilot workload and enables potential remote or autonomous operation. Two multifunction display units support mission planning and execution, while CGI’s OpenSea360 mission system provides situational awareness through satellite navigation, radar, cameras, and radio links. Sonardyne’s Vigilant forward-looking sonar supplies real-time 3D bathymetric imaging up to 600 meters and automated hazard warnings out to 1.5 kilometers, providing collision avoidance in confined or shallow environments. An integrated open-circuit air system supports eight hours of breathing air for divers at a mean rate of 18 liters per minute with a 20 percent reserve, complementing personal rebreathers.

Crew comfort and mission flexibility are addressed through Ullman Dynamics shock-absorbing seats mounted on a modular rail system. This configuration allows quick re-arrangement for personnel, supplies, or specialized payloads across a range of combat functions such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, fires, protection, command, and combat service support. The cabin is arranged so that operators can disembark in a mission-ready condition after a lengthy surface transit. Additional features include high-capacity lithium-ion batteries, providing 140 kWh for submerged propulsion, stored in sealed compartments to ensure waterproofing. The ergonomic interior design allows operators to secure personal diving equipment, while integrated communication systems link both crew and embarked personnel. Together, these features align the craft with requirements for multi-role operations that involve discreet insertion and retrieval of special forces or mission equipment.

Submerged propulsion uses two marine electric thrusters rated at 20 kW for movement, with four vertical Copenhagen units for depth keeping, producing a typical cruising speed of 6 knots with a sprint up to 8 knots over an endurance of about four hours for 25 nautical miles. (Picture source: SubSea Craft)

Deployment flexibility is central to the platform’s design. The Victa can be transported within a standard 40-foot ISO container, on road trailers, from ports of opportunity, or by heavy-lift helicopters. It is compatible with aerial deployment methods, including the IrvinGQ Maritime Craft Aerial Delivery System (MCADS) and Capewell’s Universal Maritime Craft Aerial Delivery System (UMCADS). These systems enable deployment from aircraft such as the C-130, C-17, A400M, and KC-390, either by parachute or airdrop, allowing for insertion at extended ranges without reliance on strategic naval platforms. This level of deployability provides options for commanders conducting littoral or archipelagic operations, enabling insertion from multiple environments and reducing predictability. The craft can also be launched from suitable surface vessels or sailed directly from port, adding to its versatility in different theaters.

The development process involved multiple partners. AC Marine and Composites constructed the hull, while BAR Technologies supported design and computational fluid dynamics optimization. SCISYS provided the human-machine interface and control system backbone, and CGI developed the mission system. Sonardyne integrated its Vigilant sonar for underwater navigation, while IrvinGQ and Capewell contributed to aerial delivery systems. SubSea Craft relocated its operations to Portsmouth to co-locate with BAR Technologies, reinforcing collaboration and proximity to maritime testing facilities. Funding of the program has reached around £10 million during the prototype stage, with sea trials beginning at SubSea Craft’s Portland facility and at Portsmouth waters. These included buoyancy and equilibrium checks, digital systems testing, and subsurface trials. Local partnerships, including the University of Portsmouth, have also been established to expand research and skill integration. The company has employed approximately 30 personnel, including former military staff, and plans to increase its workforce as production scales.

International interest has already emerged. At MADEX 2023 in South Korea, SubSea Craft proposed Victa for integration into the South Korean Navy’s GHOST manned-unmanned teaming concept, offering both manned and autonomous variants. The autonomous version provides increased payload and connectivity while maintaining performance comparable to the manned craft. In Japan, SubSea Craft signed a representation agreement with Nippon Kaiyo to position Victa for consideration by the Self-Defense Forces, with both companies citing its hybrid transit capability as relevant to national defense requirements. Although primarily designed for military use, SubSea Craft also markets Victa as adaptable for research, offshore industry support, and extreme-sports applications. These secondary uses are facilitated by its modularity and endurance, but the central focus remains on defense organizations seeking covert insertion and retrieval capability.

The company describes Victa as part of a new line of insertion platforms optimized for special operations in access-contested environments. It is marketed as capable of covert insertion, payload delivery, and intelligence missions with modular command systems, autonomy packages, and adaptable sensor payloads. The craft’s flooded hull, fly-by-wire system, modular seating, lithium-ion power, and composite construction are all emphasized as contributing to its operational role. Certification from Lloyd’s Register and DNV-GL, along with testing schedules, underlines its transition from prototype to operational status. SubSea Craft’s partnership network and technical development trajectory are intended to provide commanders with a platform that merges the range and speed of surface craft with the concealment of subsurface vehicles, creating a tool for maritime forces to extend their reach into denied areas without reliance on larger naval assets.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.