The Royal Navy announced Monday the establishment of its first-ever autonomous squadron, whose personnel will operate uncrewed boats from a control room in front-line operations. The unit was commissioned in a ceremony held last Thursday at the Portsmouth naval base in southern England, attended by more than 200 sailors, dignitaries and family members. During the event, the vessels that will be operated within the squadron—Kraken and Rattler boats—were displayed, maneuvering around the harbor with no one aboard.
The Royal Navy has stood up its first ever autonomous squadron that will operate uncrewed boats on front-line operations – as investment into the hybrid navy continues.
The 1st Autonomous Squadron is currently operating Kraken K3 Scout and Rattler USVs.
https://t.co/23DjTiEko9 https://t.co/RU7y3RLRoE— Royal Navy (@RoyalNavy) November 9, 2026
“The Royal Navy is doing something it has never done before. We are commissioning the first autonomous squadron in our history,” said Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Steve Moorhouse, adding that this is “a truly historic event.” The British commander noted that for generations, naval power was built around ships, submarines and aircraft crewed by sailors and marines, and now a unit operating uncrewed vessels will operate alongside them. Moorhouse explained that the seas are becoming more dangerous and harder to operate in, and that a hybrid system will provide greater range, more strike power and additional options, with humans remaining at its core.
British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said the threat environment is fundamentally different from that of recent decades, and that today one of the decisive factors in military power is who innovates faster. The secretary added that Britain is leveraging the largest sustained increase in defense spending since the Cold War to put autonomous technology in the hands of sailors and to defend the kingdom’s shores and its NATO allies. “The more prepared we are to fight and win, the less likely we will have to do so,” Streeting declared. The transition to a hybrid navy, in which traditional warships operate alongside uncrewed systems, is backed by an investment of £1.5 billion over four years.
The new unit has about 180 crew members, the same number as a frigate’s crew, divided into two shifts to maintain round-the-clock operations. The Kraken boats, with a range of about 1,000 kilometers that can be extended to about 1,800, were tested along England’s southern coast in defense, surveillance and patrol missions, while the Rattler boats escorted warships in Scotland while being operated from a distance of about 800 kilometers. The squadron replaces the navy’s first pilot program for acquiring uncrewed boats, and will operate both independently and as part of a task force alongside allies.
The announcement came just days after the British Navy disclosed that it launched strike drones from the deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth for the first time, in trials conducted in mid-October in the North Atlantic. Four British-made drones were launched from the deck, and all hit their targets. Meanwhile, this week military and political leaders from Western nations are convening in Oslo, Norway’s capital, for conferences on North European security, where rapid technological developments on the battlefield will also be discussed.