Israeli company Skana Robotics, founded by naval special operations and robotics experts, has unveiled two new autonomous maritime drones: the surface Bull Shark and the underwater Stingray, European Security & Defense reports.
Bull Shark is a tactical unmanned surface vehicle designed for reconnaissance, surveillance and interception. Its maximum payload is 150 kg. The vehicle also functions as a communications hub, coordinating the actions of surface and underwater systems.
Stingray is an autonomous underwater vehicle designed for reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare, and infrastructure protection in challenging underwater environments. It supports autonomous navigation, is capable of anchoring to the seabed, and is capable of silent standby.
The basic operating time is 24 hours, with the possibility of increasing it with an additional battery. Launching is possible from underwater stations, patrol boats, submarines or other ships.
A key feature of the new systems is a software-defined architecture that allows for scalability of functionality and adaptation of platforms to different types of operations.
Skana Robotics emphasizes that their approach removes traditional barriers to fleet expansion, as production does not depend on shipbuilding facilities and does not require complex logistical processes.
At the heart of the autonomous vehicle control is the SeaSphere software core, which is responsible for mission planning and resource allocation, as well as the Vera system, built on the basis of ROS 2. Vera ensures autonomous task execution, transforming general directives into local actions and responding to environmental changes in real time. This architecture allows for distributed command, coordination between unmanned platforms, and integration with manned vehicles.
Skana Robotics announced that it has already received the first orders for the platforms and is preparing for large-scale deployment in cooperation with international partners. The new unmanned systems are designed taking into account NATO standards, the possibility of mass production and integration with existing allied fleets.
By the way, recently a naval drone of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defenсe destroyed five elite Russian divers in Novorossiysk Bay.