BlackSea Technologies unveils Comet USV with Hellfire and Sidewinder missiles for future US Navy operations.

BlackSea Technologies has unveiled an armed version of its Comet unmanned surface vessel, integrating Hellfire and Sidewinder missiles to extend short-range air defense beyond traditional warships. This development signals a shift toward distributing air defense across fast, low-cost unmanned platforms that can screen larger naval assets and counter drones, helicopters, and low-flying aircraft closer to the threat.

The Comet combines high-speed mobility with a complete onboard targeting and missile engagement chain, allowing it to detect, track, and strike aerial threats independently. Its modular design and rapid production model highlight a broader move from the US Navy toward scalable, reconfigurable naval forces, where autonomous vessels enhance survivability, expand defensive coverage, and enable swarm-based operations in future maritime conflict.

Related topic: China tests first autonomous maritime drone swarm to counter future US naval operations

The armed Comet USV addresses the two primary threats for USVs (helicopters and small attack craft) by pairing Sidewinder for air targets and Hellfire for surface targets using complementary guidance modes. (Picture source: BlackSea Technologies)

On April 19, 2026, the U.S. company BlackSea Technologies unveiled a version of the Comet unmanned surface vessel (USV) equipped with four missiles, likely consisting of two AGM-114 Hellfire and two AIM-9X Sidewinder, supported by a forward-mounted electro-optical and infrared targeting turret. The fully armed Comet USV was assembled in about one month, suggesting that the USV is presented for procurement evaluation rather than to demonstrate isolated subsystems. The hull design derives from a lineage with more than twenty years of operational use in U.S Navy-related programs, such as the USSV-HS high-speed unmanned craft developed with the Office of Naval Research.

Comparable to Ukrainian Magura unmanned vessels, which have downed Russian Mil Mi-8 helicopters and Sukhoi Su-30 jets using infrared-guided missiles, the Comet USV could be employed in a short-range air defense role, targeting drones, helicopters, and low-altitude aircraft ahead of major surface combatants such as Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. BlackSea Technologies is based in Baltimore, Maryland, and focuses on unmanned surface vessels, autonomy software, expeditionary logistics, and maritime ISR. The company has established a strong production output through its GARC small unmanned vessel, with many hundreds of units delivered to U.S. Navy-related users, indicating sustained manufacturing capacity and feedback from operational environments.

Additional assets include the NightTrain logistics vessel, designed for containerized resupply, and the Chaser series, which expands the GARC's payload and mission flexibility. The company’s production model integrates design, manufacturing, and mission system integration within a single organization, reducing reliance on external system integrators. The Comet USV follows this model, combining commercially available subsystems with existing defense components sourced from established suppliers. This approach reduces development timelines and allows the rapid assembly of mission-ready configurations, which provides a basis for scaling up the production of the Comet USV in months rather than years.

Representing one of the first visible U.S. steps toward a capability Ukraine has already proven in combat, the Comet USV itself measures 13.1 meters in length and 3.0 meters in beam, with a hull constructed from aluminum in a semi-planing configuration for high-speed operation in Sea State 3 conditions. Propulsion is provided by twin Volvo Penta D6 diesel engines, enabling maximum speeds exceeding 45 knots, with sustained operation above 40 knots depending on payload and sea conditions. A Seakeeper gyroscopic stabilization system is installed to maintain stability for sensors and weapons at speed, particularly in moderate sea states. The hull structure is configured for durability and repairability, allowing continued operation after damage and facilitating field-level maintenance.

Manufacturing is conducted within the United States, aligning with the US Navy's procurement requirements. The vessel’s size places it above small tactical unmanned boats while remaining below medium unmanned surface vessels, and the semi-planing hull allows a rapid repositioning without reliance on larger host vessels. The Comet USV can carry up to 10,000 pounds of payload, including fuel, weapons, and mission systems, depending on configuration. With a 3,000-pound payload, the vessel can operate to about 1,000 nautical miles at 40 knots in Sea State 3, while increasing the payload to 7,500 pounds reduces the range to about 500 nautical miles at 20 knots.

A separate configuration indicates a range of 1,500 nautical miles at 30 knots when fuel allocation is increased relative to payload weight. The vessel’s payload capacity exceeds that of typical small unmanned vessels, allowing integration of multiple mission systems, including different types of missiles, sensors, weapons, and electronic warfare equipment. Therefore, the vessel can be reconfigured for high-speed interception, extended patrol, or more specialized missions depending on operational requirements. The air defense system integrates a dual-rail launcher with four ready-to-fire missiles, combining two AGM-114 Hellfire for surface or low-altitude targets and possibly two AIM-9X Sidewinder for infrared-guided air engagements.

Fire control and radar functions are linked to DRS RADA Technologies, mission system integration involves Sierra Nevada Corporation, while the missile and combat system ecosystem includes Lockheed Martin and RTX Corporation, indicating the use of existing U.S. defense components. A marine navigation radar similar to Simrad-type systems provides situational awareness, supplemented by electro-optical sensors for target identification. This forms a complete short-range air-defense chain onboard a single unmanned vessel, capable of engaging drones, helicopters, and low-flying aircraft at a relatively low cost.

The Comet USV also possesses reinforced forward and aft payload bays to rapidly integrate missile launchers, sensor masts, electronic warfare equipment, and other payloads depending on mission requirements. Declared mission roles include air warfare, surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures, electronic warfare, maritime domain awareness, and escort of high-value units. This enables a single hull to perform multiple roles, reducing the need for specialized vessels as well as downtime between deployments. Furthermore, a modular architecture supports iterative upgrades as new systems become available. The vessel can operate under remote control or execute missions autonomously, meaning that, like the Chinese L30, the Comet USV can possibly operate in coordinated groups or swarms, which increases resilience.

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, Ukraine, 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.