Military

USX-1 Defiant: The warship without a crew or a place to put one

USX-1 Defiant: The warship without a crew or a place to put one
Image (extended using generative tools) of the Defiant being towed for launch
Image (extended using generative tools) of the Defiant being towed for launch
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Defiant at sea
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Defiant at sea
Image (extended using generative tools) of the Defiant being towed for launch
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Image (extended using generative tools) of the Defiant being towed for launch
Early NOMARS concept
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Early NOMARS concept
Construction of the USX-1 Defiant was completed in February 2025
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Construction of the USX-1 Defiant was completed in February 2025
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DARPA has launched a new prototype warship for the US Navy that not only won't need any sailors, it can't even accommodate them. The 180-ft (55-m), 240-tonne No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) put to sea last month ahead of sea trials.

It may look smaller than a conventional surface warship, but looks can be deceiving. Designated USX-1 Defiant, the new NOMARS shows just how much space aboard a ship is devoted to the crew. Take away the living quarters, corridors, ventilators, ladders, access ways, and work spaces, and a warship can be shrunk to a remarkable degree.

In the case of the Defiant, you get a small, dagger-like vessel that can operate at sea for months without human supervision, autonomously navigate, avoid collisions and bad weather, and even refuel – all while properly paying attention to maritime regulations and the rules of the road.

Early NOMARS concept
Early NOMARS concept

It isn't the first time DAPRA has gone down this sea lane. Previously the agency developed the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) Sea Hunter, though this was more of a technology development platform to show that a craft could be built for submarine hunting at a tenth of the cost of a conventional anti-sub ship. It also had a pilot house for a human skipper to watch over things during trials.

Though it advances on experience gathered from Sea Hunter, the Defiant was a clean-sheet project built by Serco in Herndon, Virginia. It's also made for blue-water combat conditions with an ability to handle dangerous sea states with a high degree of stealth and survivability.

Though the missions for ships like this, as well as its armament and technical details, haven't been released, this will not be some sort of seagoing Terminator blazing away at whatever target strikes its fancy. The function of such autonomous craft is to free up crewed ships for more important tasks while it takes over the routine jobs or acts as a combat force multiplier. Probable missions will include maritime patrols, guard ship and reconnaissance duty, anti-submarine sweeps, arsenal ship deployments, and carrier group escorts.

The Defiant is slated to begin sea trials within a few weeks after it completes its equipment fits.

Source: DARPA

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8 comments
8 comments
Nelson
It is so encouraging to know humanity is always working diligently on new and innovative ways for us to kill our fellow man or women or child depending on target.
ChairmanLMAO
So maybe it can accommodate escapees from some wartorn situation? Can you imagine the look on their face when they could have saved some embassy staff if only...
grey
Were they the ones that developed the Manta ray-shaped drone that was like they want to build a ton of them and have them swarm the entire ocean
zort
They need to make a variation that you could slap/drop on a little accommodation for a few passengers at least, if not a full crew.
Edward Vix
What's to stop someone from taking over the vessel and its (probably very sophisticated and powerful) weapons?
mediabeing
Cool. Can't wait to see what happens. I would like it if it had serious emergency provisions.
ramon
when the effort of living together on our little planet will start, making this kind of stuff obsolete. Maybe indeed support the trips to mars, to put all people who want to to divide and put their will on others be send there.
Gregg Eshelman
At least it won't be called the Texas Class. (If you're a Trekkie you'll get it.)