U.S. Coast Guard Seeks Counter-UUV Systems to Protect Ports and Critical Infrastructure.

The U.S. Coast Guard has launched a market survey to identify commercially available technologies capable of detecting and defeating uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs). The effort aims to rapidly strengthen security for U.S. ports, waterways, critical infrastructure, and military facilities against evolving underwater threats.

Led by the Coast Guard Research and Development Center under the Futures Development and Integration Directorate, the survey focuses on mature operational systems rather than experimental concepts. The service is seeking technologies that can be integrated quickly into existing maritime security networks, reflecting growing concern over the expanding use of uncrewed underwater vehicles by state and non-state actors.

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The Dive-LD autonomous underwater vehicle developed by Anduril Industries illustrates the growing capabilities of long-endurance unmanned underwater systems, which are driving the U.S. Coast Guard's search for operational counter-UUV technologies to protect ports and critical maritime infrastructure. (Picture source: Anduril Industries)

This initiative reflects growing concern over the proliferation of uncrewed underwater vehicles beyond traditional naval forces. According to the Coast Guard, these platforms are increasingly employed in both civilian and military maritime operations because of their versatility, low observability, and ability to operate in complex underwater environments. These same characteristics also make them attractive tools for hostile actors conducting intelligence gathering, surveillance, smuggling, sabotage of critical infrastructure, or direct attacks. Their low acoustic signature and advanced navigation capabilities make them particularly difficult to detect, track, and intercept using conventional maritime security procedures.

The document released on July 24, 2026, by the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center as part of a Request for Information (RFI) states that effective technologies already exist to detect and track uncrewed underwater vehicles, but that very few defeat systems have been tested and fielded under operational conditions. It identifies defeat capabilities as an essential component of the engagement chain, emphasizing that detection alone represents only the first step in countering the threat. The stated objective is to strengthen maritime domain dominance, port security, and the protection of critical infrastructure through systems capable of providing a credible response against hostile UUVs.

The Coast Guard Research and Development Center is specifically seeking commercially available technologies with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of at least 5, indicating that they have already demonstrated their performance in a relevant operational environment. Proposed systems must support port, waterway, and coastal security missions while being sufficiently mature for deployment in real-world scenarios. The RFI covers sensor platforms, kinetic effectors, and integrated architectures combining detection, tracking, identification, and defeat functions. Although no manufacturers are identified in the document, the technical requirements align with capabilities already developed by several companies active in this field, including Ultra Maritime with its port protection sonar networks, Atlas Elektronik through its Cerberus architecture and SeaFox underwater systems, BlueHalo, which develops counter-autonomous systems for maritime infrastructure protection, Anduril Industries, whose Lattice architecture integrates underwater sensor data with response capabilities, and Exail, whose autonomous mine countermeasure systems provide a technological foundation applicable to counter-UUV missions. Proposals limited to detection functions alone will not be considered.

To assess the maturity of the proposed technologies, industry participants must provide detailed technical documentation. This includes the system's operating principle, physical characteristics, power requirements, integration within underwater or port environments, and operational limitations. The Coast Guard also requests information on software architecture, supported target profiles, targeting methodology, and the estimated effects on the target's electrical, navigation, or mission systems. Previous testing activities, TRL justification, safety features, target models used during evaluation, and installation requirements must also be documented. In addition, respondents are required to specify the mechanical, electrical, and software interfaces needed to integrate their effectors into a broader system architecture, together with delivery timelines, maintenance requirements, and expected operational availability.

From an operational perspective, this initiative reflects an evolution in the U.S. approach to port protection. Until now, investment has primarily focused on surveillance networks, including fixed sonar installations, deployable sensors, and command-and-control architectures designed to detect suspicious underwater activity. The Coast Guard now acknowledges that detection alone is insufficient unless it is paired with an immediately available interception capability. By requiring effectors that have already been demonstrated and can be integrated into existing systems, the service is prioritizing rapid capability deployment over a lengthy development program, with the objective of equipping major U.S. port facilities with dedicated counter-UUV capabilities.

The initiative also forms part of a broader evolution in the United States' maritime posture. Commercial ports, naval bases, and coastal industrial facilities increasingly serve as essential logistical hubs supporting U.S. operations across the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Middle East. Protecting these sites against covert underwater threats is therefore becoming a strategic requirement comparable to air defense or counter-uncrewed surface vessel capabilities. The decision to use an open market survey further suggests that the Coast Guard intends to leverage existing industrial technologies to accelerate deployment while encouraging solutions that could eventually be adopted by the U.S. Navy or other federal agencies responsible for maritime security.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in Security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.