France Develops SMOKERS Kamikaze USV, Completing Sea Trials in Six Months
The French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) has developed the SMOKERS kamikaze Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) from concept to sea trials in six months. This rapid development, driven by operational lessons, resulted in a low-cost USV with composite hulls and standard outboard motors, targeting a unit cost of tens of thousands of euros. The DGA's internal teams handled software, sensors, and hydrodynamic design. The SMOKERS USV has undergone multiple sea trials and was deployed during the recent WildFire exercise. The DGA plans for potential mass production by local shipyards due to the uncomplicated design.
Why it matters
The USV's uncomplicated design facilitates rapid, large-scale manufacturing by various French shipyards, including those building leisure boats.
Source: Naval News — read the original
Source published 26 Oct 2026, 09:27 UTC