Navy to Deploy Drone Boats This Year, Official Says

January 16, 2026

2 min read

Navy Unveils Plans for Medium Displacement Uncrewed Surface Vessels

The US Navy is set to deploy two medium-sized drone boats this year, according to Capt. Garrett Miller. The drones, known as MDUSVs, will be under fleet control and assigned to surface forces. One of the drones will deploy with a carrier strike group in 2026. Breaking Defense reports that the Navy plans to stand up three ’early command’ USV divisions next week. By 2030, the Navy expects to have over 30 MDUSVs in its inventory. The development may signal a shift towards unmanned operations and raises questions about the future of manned ships.

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Navy drone boats unmanned systems MDUSV carrier strike group

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Source JAN Tracker: SRCE-2026-1768591290256-2003 Source Type: RSS

URL: https://breakingdefense.com/2026/01/no-longer-experimental-navy-to-deploy-drone-boats-this-year-official-says/

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Navy to Deploy Drone Boats This Year, Official Says

January 16, 2026

2 min read

Navy Unveils Plans for Medium Displacement Uncrewed Surface Vessels

The US Navy is set to deploy two medium-sized drone boats this year, according to Capt. Garrett Miller. The drones, known as MDUSVs, will be under fleet control and assigned to surface forces. One of the drones will deploy with a carrier strike group in 2026. Breaking Defense reports that the Navy plans to stand up three ’early command’ USV divisions next week. By 2030, the Navy expects to have over 30 MDUSVs in its inventory. The development may signal a shift towards unmanned operations and raises questions about the future of manned ships.

Key Takeaways

Sign in to view key takeaways Get full access to in-depth analysis and key takeaways.

Silver membership required Upgrade to Silver to access Key Takeaways.

Strategic Implications

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Silver membership required Upgrade to Silver to access Strategic Implications.

Companies Mentioned

Topics

Navy drone boats unmanned systems MDUSV carrier strike group

Source JAN Tracker: SRCE-2026-1768591290256-2003 Source Type: RSS

URL: https://breakingdefense.com/2026/01/no-longer-experimental-navy-to-deploy-drone-boats-this-year-official-says/