Turns out the leap across the pond goes both ways.
This morning, UK-based USV company Kraken Technology Group announced that they’ve scored a coveted $49M cap OTA with United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to develop and prototype “novel uncrewed surface and subsurface vessel technologies to enhance maritime capabilities for U.S. special operations forces.”
This marks the first direct US contract for the company and a bit of a transatlantic coup in the ever-so-popular maritime autonomy space.
“We are honoured to partner with USSOCOM in support of its mission to field disruptive maritime capabilities,” Mal Crease, CEO of Kraken, said in a statement. “This OTA represents a validation of our technology roadmap and underscores the critical need for next-generation uncrewed platforms that deliver superior agility, survivability, and operational versatility in the maritime domain.”
Say it with us: everyone loves a tiny little boat.
Speed run: Kraken has had a hell of a few years. The UK-based maritime autonomy startup was founded by former speedboat racer (yes, really) Crease back in 2020, and since then has been laser-focused on small, unmanned boats that can, well, go really freaking fast.
The company builds a few different vessels:
- K3 Scout: A speedboar-like USV that comes in three sizes—Medium (8m long, 600kg payload, and top speed of 55 knots), Heavy (12m long, 2,000kg payload), and Max (18.6m long, 10,000kg payload, and a range of 2,000 nautical miles).
- K4 Manta: Kraken’s stealthy uncrewed surface-subsurface vehicle (USSV), built for both fast surface transit and covert submerged missions. They partnered with L3Harris on it.
- K5 Kraken: A concept-stage 15-meter-long speedboat with optional crew and heavy weaponization payloads.
The Scout is by far the company’s most popular model—it costs around £250,000 ($338,100) per unit, and Kraken has already sold over 100 this year alone, according to Crease. Customers include the UK’s Ministry of Defence and other NATO governments.
Kraken has made some industry friends in high places, too. Back in August, they signed an agreement with German shipbuilder NVL to scale production, and in September, they inked a partnership with American autonomy giant Applied Intuition to accelerate autonomy testing and integration for Kraken’s USVs.
Build up: As part of the USSOCOM agreement, Kraken says it will focus on vessels that “leverage cutting-edge materials, stealth characteristics, and modular mission payload integration.” (Sounds a lot like the science fiction-y Manta.)
The company says it’s already participated in two SOCOM innovation cycles with the UK and Norwegian governments, and will continue to iterate its tech alongside operators so “U.S. forces maintain a decisive edge in complex operational theatres.”
Look out, maritime autonomy world. The British are coming.