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Ukraine’s State Security Service has unveiled a significantly upgraded maritime drone, “Sea Baby”, which it claims can now operate throughout the Black Sea, carry significantly heavier weapons, and use artificial intelligence for precise targeting.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has previously credited these unmanned naval vessels with forcing a strategic shift in Russia’s Black Sea operations, having used them to target Russian shipping and infrastructure.
The SBU confirmed that Sea Baby’s operational range has been increased from 1,000 kilometers to 1,500 kilometers, with its payload capacity now reaching 2,000 kilograms.
During a demonstration, variants of the drone were demonstrated, including a model equipped with a multiple-rocket launcher and a model featuring a stabilized machine-gun turret.
SBU Brig. Gen. Ivan Lukashevich said the new ships also include AI-assisted friend-or-foe targeting systems and can launch small air-strike drones and multi-stage self-destruct systems to prevent capture.
The SBU said drone strikes had been used in successful attacks against 11 Russian ships, including frigates and missile carriers, forcing the Russian Navy to relocate its main base from Sevastopol. Crimea To Novorossiysk on the Black Sea coast of Russia.
“The SBU has become the first in the world to lead this new type of naval warfare – and we are leading it forward,” Lukashevich said, adding that Sea Baby has evolved from a single-use strike craft into a reusable, multi-role platform that expands Ukraine’s offensive options.
Officials asked that the time and location of the demonstration not be made public due to security reasons.
The craft are operated remotely from a mobile control center inside a van, where operators use a bank of screens and controls.
“The cohesion of the crew members is probably the most important thing. We are constantly working on it,” said one operator, identified only by his call sign, “Scout,” in accordance with Ukrainian military protocol.
The SBU also said maritime drones helped carry out other high-profile attacks, including repeated attacks on the Crimean bridge, most recently targeting its underwater supports to render it unusable for heavy military transport.
The Sea Baby program is partially funded by public donations through a state-run initiative and coordinated with Ukraine’s military and political leadership.
Lukashevich said the evolution from expendable strike boats to reusable, networked drones marks a significant advance in asymmetric naval warfare.
He said, “On this new product, we have installed rocket weapons that will allow us to operate from large distances outside the attack range of enemy fire. We can use such platforms to carry heavy weapons.” “Here we can show Ukrainians the most effective use of the money they donate to us.”