Kraken and Saab UK develop pioneering autonomous ‘drone seeker’ vessel

Saab UK and Kraken have developed an experimental autonomous vessel that combines Kraken’s K3 Scout uncrewed surface platform with Saab’s Giraffe 1X radar to detect and track aerial threats at sea. The partners completed the integration in less than seven months and are conducting sea trials to assess radar performance in a maritime environment. The lightweight three-dimensional radar provides real-time surveillance, including detection of small airborne targets, from the mobile vessel. The demonstrator is intended to operate independently or alongside crewed ships, with potential applications protecting shipping, ports and offshore energy infrastructure.