US Navy Unveils First Fully Autonomous Warship — 55 Meters, 240 Tons, No Crew

The US Navy has unveiled the USX-1 Defiant, its first fully autonomous surface combat vessel, in Everett, Washington. Built entirely without facilities for human crew, the 55-meter, 240-ton ship was developed under DARPA’s NOMARS (“No Manning Required Ship”) program and is designed to operate independently in open waters for up to a year.

The revolutionary design eliminates all human-centric features such as a bridge, living quarters, or galleys. This streamlined structure allows construction in smaller shipyards that typically produce yachts or workboats, opening new possibilities for naval production.

The Defiant can operate in rough seas up to Sea State 5 (4-meter waves) and survive harsher conditions, returning to full operational capacity after storms. Its core systems are housed in modular units that can be swapped out for maintenance in under 16 hours.

This breakthrough comes amid rising tensions with China, which invested $15 billion in naval training in the Western Pacific in 2023. The US Navy aims to build a hybrid fleet integrating manned and unmanned vessels to maintain a technological edge and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.

Recent trials achieved a world-first autonomous at-sea refueling between vessels, enabling the Defiant to remain operational without human logistical support. The ship will now undergo extensive sea trials before officially joining the Navy’s unmanned surface fleet.

Lt. Cmdr. Tim Boston of the Unmanned Surface Vessel Division called it “not just innovation, but a revolution in naval warfare — giving the Navy decisive advantages in deterrence, combat control, and ultimate victory.”