Unmanned surface vessels (USVs) have emerged as a transformative technology in modern naval warfare, offering a cost-effective solution to maritime challenges. Ukraine’s pioneering use of USVs in the Black Sea provides a compelling case study for their potential application in addressing African maritime security concerns.
This is according to Viktor Lystopadov, Regional Director of Ukraine’s SpetsTechnoExport. Speaking virtually at a discussion on ‘Advanced Developments in Ukrainian Combat Unmanned Systems and New Opportunities for African Regional Security’ in Pretoria last month, he said Ukraine pioneered the use of unmanned vehicles in combat operations, achieving notable successes against the Russian Navy.
Lystopadov explained that in the Black Sea, Ukraine did not have its own fleet of warships so it pioneered the use of naval drones, which have been used very successfully. “Today we almost cover all the area of the Black Sea with our drones,” he said. “This is a new type of war we have in Ukraine…we improve every day.”
Last year a Ukrainian USV shot down a Russian Mi-8 helicopter with a missile, marking the first time a USV has taken out a crewed aerial target. USVs have clearly changed the rules of modern and full scale conflict, Lystopadov said.
He believes the next frontier is using drone swarms, and artificial intelligence for autonomous operations. “We have solved all the tasks for USV/UAV interaction,” he said. Work is underway on unmanned drone carrying vessels able to either carry first person view (FPV) drones or torpedoes.
Ukraine’s most popular and successful USV is the Magura V5, which was the first type of unmanned surface vessel used against Russia. Different versions are available, including for surveillance, reconnaissance, mine warfare, and kamikaze attacks.
The Magura V5 costs substantially less than a warship – Lystopadov said Ukraine destroyed more than 20 Russian Navy Black Sea fleet vessels to the value of $2 billion using USVs costing about $20-30 million. Four to five USVs are typically used to attack a ship, costing about $1 million per attack.
Using satellite communications or Starlink, Ukrainian USVs have a range in excess of 1 000 km, allowing them to cover the whole of the Black Sea. The Magura V5 only has limited view optics, and gets its targeting information from other sources, meaning it does not have to rely on carrying expensive and complex targeting systems.
The Magura V5 is specifically adapted for Black Sea conditions with relatively calm waters – at 5.5 metres in length it is relatively small, but can be scaled up and adapted to other sea conditions. The USV has a cruise speed of 45 km/h, and a maximum speed of 100 km/h. It carries a 350 kg explosive payload.
As the USV is only half a metre above the water surface, Lystopadov said it is difficult to detect, and is usually only spotted when 500-800 metres from a ship when it’s too late.
For Africa, USVs could be used to patrol the Red Sea and other waterways, he said.
Denys Reva, Maritime Security Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), believes that USVs can serve as force multipliers, and replace ships as they are easier and cheaper to deploy. He pointed out that most African navies and coast guards use large offshore patrol vessels, and that it is much cheaper to acquire, operate, and maintain a USV.
Ukraine’s success with USVs underscores their transformative potential in modern naval warfare. For Africa, adopting this technology could revolutionise maritime security by providing cost-effective solutions tailored to the continent’s unique challenges. As African nations seek to secure their waters against evolving threats, USVs offer a promising path forward.
