UK Announces Development of Fast Attack Sea Drones for Ukraine

The UK Ministry of Defense (MOD) has unveiled plans for the development of a versatile maritime drone system on January 8.

This new initiative, known as Project COOKSON, was announced alongside a call for industry partners to participate in its development. The project aims to create a fast, low-observable maritime drone capable of conducting operations both within Ukraine and beyond its borders.

The announcement was made public through the UK Defense Journal, with the Ministry of Defense set to officially begin the search for companies to help develop the system during the COOKSON Challenge Session, scheduled for January 22, 2025, in London. Companies and nations allied through NATO, as well as Ukrainian specialists and Five Eyes countries, are invited to collaborate on the project.

According to the UK Ministry of Defense, the COOKSON system will be a small, fast attack vessel equipped with modular payloads and designed for challenging operational environments.

The drone will be capable of carrying multiple effectors, such as surface-to-surface missiles, and will operate autonomously or semi-autonomously even in GNSS-degraded conditions. This system is intended to be used in a variety of operations, including strike missions and defense against aerial threats such as helicopters and drones.

The key features of the COOKSON system include:

• Speed and Range: The vessel will have a top speed of over 40 knots, even in rough sea conditions, and a range of up to 800 nautical miles fully laden.

• Autonomy: The system will be designed to operate with minimal human intervention, including the ability to launch missiles and perform missions in areas where GPS signals may be unavailable.

• Payload and Weaponry: The system will be equipped with high-explosive warheads, capable of targeting both land and maritime targets, with a range of 30 to 100 kilometers. It will also be capable of engaging aerial threats.

• Production and Deployment: The UK Ministry of Defense has set a goal to produce 2-3 vessels per month within six months of an order, with a focus on high-volume, low-cost production. The drones are expected to be transported by land to Ukraine, and in some cases, by air if necessary.

The MOD has also outlined plans to begin the procurement of the first batch of COOKSON systems in the first quarter of 2025, along with hundreds of effectors. The procurement process will be competitive, with initial demonstrations scheduled for late 2025 or early 2026.

Earlier, on December 31, 2024, Ukraine’s Magura V5 maritime drone, equipped with R-73 missiles, destroyed two Russian Mi-8 helicopters and damaged a third near Crimea. Ukrainian officials noted that while the loss of the helicopters was significant, the main concern for Russia now is adjusting its tactics in response to the successful use of Ukrainian drones.