Kraken & Saab UK Develop Autonomous C-UAS ‘Drone Seeker’ Vessel

Kraken Technology Group and Saab UK have successfully developed and sea-tested a pioneering autonomous “drone seeker” vessel designed to detect and track airborne threats in maritime environments.

The experimental Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) integrates Kraken’s K3 SCOUT modular craft with Saab UK’s Giraffe 1X lightweight 3D radar. Housed within the K3 SCOUT’s modular payload bay, the Giraffe 1X radar provides real-time tracking and enhanced early warning of aerial threats, capable of identifying small airborne targets over extended ranges.

Engineered to operate independently or alongside crewed surface fleets, the platform highlights the growing role of autonomous systems within a modern “hybrid navy” by expanding sensing ranges without risking additional personnel.

The joint development team brought the project from concept to sea-tested prototype in less than seven months, conducting trials to validate radar performance under real-world maritime conditions. This rapid integration demonstrates how modular USV architecture can swiftly field new sensors and payloads to defend shipping lanes, ports, offshore energy installations, and critical national infrastructure.

Mal Crease, CEO and Founder of Kraken Technology Group, said, “Kraken and Saab UK’s prototype “drone seeker” vessel is exactly what the K3 SCOUT was designed to do: integrate with mission-relevant payloads to then operate in austere maritime environments.”

Andy Fraser, Managing Director of Saab UK, added, “This is a pioneering, UK manufactured, deployable capability, that together with Kraken we’ve developed in less than seven months. This reflects the strength of our partnership, the maturity and flexibility of our respective technologies, and our ability to respond at pace to the evolving threat landscape and needs of our customers.”