Drone warfare in Ukraine: Seawolf, Quantum Systems, and fiber-optic drones

Three key stories of the week: May 7 - May 13, 2025.

Seawolf surface drone at the DEFEA 2025 exhibition in Greece. May 2025. Credits: Army Recognition

Localization of drone production is a key task assigned to Ukrainian manufacturers in the months ahead. In this digest, through several stories and interviews, I highlight the extent to which Ukrainian producers still depend on imported components for their unmanned systems. However, full localization is not out of reach, as recently demonstrated by Vyriy Drone, which produced its first 1,000 drones using locally sourced components.

On Friday, May 16, I will launch a new resource, Ukraine’s Military Marketplace, featuring descriptions of items currently available on Ukraine’s Brave1 Market. So far, the platform includes nearly 1,000 items, and I’ll be highlighting a selection of them. All information will be sourced from publicly available materials or the Brave1 Market platform, with written permission from the item producers. This digest will be available exclusively to founding members.

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Seawolf naval drone for multi-role operations in asymmetric warfare: an introduction

As naval drone missions grow more complex, there's a noticeable shift toward larger platforms capable of supporting enhanced functionality and broader mission requirements, writes Defense Express.

At the DEFEA 2025 defense exhibition, company Nordex unveiled its Seawolf – a modular Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) platform explicitly designed around the lessons learned from Ukraine’s current maritime engagements.

The system is structured around a core platform whose main components—hull, engine, propulsion, communications, optics, control systems—remain unchanged, while the upper deck is designed to allow the secure installation of different mission-specific and auxiliary equipment. This modular approach is intended to reduce adaptation time for new configurations and lower the operator’s maintenance burden - reports Army Recognition.

With a current production capacity touted at 25 units per month, the standard Seawolf boasts impressive specifications:

• Length: 7.5 m

• Engine: 270 hp diesel

• Range: Over 1600 km

• Total Payload: Up to 1650 kg

• Warhead Capacity: Up to 450 kg

Nordex showcased a lineup of mission-ready variants, all on the same core platform:

• Seawolf R: Air defense boat

• Seawolf MG: Cover boat

• Seawolf MGR: Cover boat with integrated radar

• Seawolf EW: Electronic warfare specialist

• Seawolf M: Mine carrier

• Seawolf D: Aerial drone carrier – a direct nod to the operational successes seen with GUR platforms.

Nordex also presented the concept for the Seawolf Extended Platform: a larger, more capable version designed specifically to carry four AIM-9 missiles and a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. The available specifications say this extended version will have a total weight of 4,000 kilograms, a hull length of 9.5 meters, and operate in a 1,500-kilometer range.

Defense Express points out that although Nordex is often identified as a Ukrainian company, it is listed as a Latvian participant on the DEFEA website, casting uncertainty over Ukraine's official involvement. Other media outlets also refer to the Seawolf as a Ukrainian product, but attribute its production to a different company — Ekskalibur — as seen in various reports and visuals. This suggests a possible joint venture or cooperation between Ukrainian and Latvian firms.

Related news:

• The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) is actively building a fleet of naval drones, with a key component being unmanned naval platforms capable of launching strike kamikaze drones. These platforms are designed to engage both land-based and maneuvering surface targets. The naval platform carries between 500 and 3,000 kilograms of various types of weapons — aerial, surface, and underwater. The system incorporates cutting-edge technologies integrated with NATO-standard artificial intelligence.