（Singapore, 25.06.2026）Sea drones are rapidly becoming one of the most important technologies shaping military competition across the Indo-Pacific, as countries race to strengthen their naval capabilities amid growing tensions with China.
According to a Bloomberg report, from the United States and Japan to Taiwan and China, governments are investing heavily in unmanned vessels that can patrol, gather intelligence, attack enemy ships and carry out dangerous missions without putting sailors at risk.
Military analysts say the shift mirrors the growing role of aerial drones seen in the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East but adapted for the vast waters of the Indo-Pacific, where long distances and contested sea lanes present unique strategic challenges.
The increasing importance of these systems was recently demonstrated during a military exercise in the Philippines, where US special forces tested Ukraine-developed Magura-class unmanned surface vessels (USVs). Video footage showed the explosive-laden drones striking and sinking a decommissioned target ship, marking the first known Indo-Pacific trial of the combat-proven vessels.
The Magura drones have already gained battlefield recognition after Ukraine used them successfully against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, highlighting how relatively inexpensive autonomous systems can threaten far larger naval forces.
Nations Race to Expand Unmanned Naval Capabilities
Unlike traditional warships that cost hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars to build and maintain, sea drones can perform many high-risk missions at only a fraction of the cost.
Their lower price also makes them attractive for countries with limited defense budgets.
According to defense experts, unmanned vessels can conduct surveillance, lay naval mines, escort fleets, deliver explosives and even launch missiles while reducing the exposure of sailors and expensive warships during combat.
“They allow navies to keep their most valuable crews and platforms out of the enemy’s kill zone,” said Rintaro Inoue, a defense expert at the Tokyo-based Institute of Geoeconomics.
Earlier this month, a 24-foot autonomous surface vessel known as the Corsair demonstrated another use for the technology by rescuing the crew of a crashed US Army Apache helicopter off the coast of Oman, providing one of the first real-world examples of sea drones being used in search-and-rescue operations.
Sea drones are also expected to play a central role in Taiwan’s defense planning should conflict erupt across the Taiwan Strait.
The United States has proposed a concept known as “Hellscape,” which envisions flooding the waters between Taiwan and mainland China with large numbers of inexpensive anti-ship systems capable of slowing or disrupting an invading force.
Taiwan is developing its own attack drone called the Kaui-Chi unmanned surface vessel as part of that strategy. Local reports indicate Taipei plans to procure more than 1,300 units at an estimated cost of NT$28 billion (S$1.14 billion).
Military planners believe large numbers of relatively cheap drones could complicate China’s naval operations while preserving Taiwan’s limited fleet of traditional warships.
The United States expects unmanned naval systems to become a permanent feature of future military operations. Captain Garrett Miller, who commands the US Navy’s unmanned surface vessel squadron, recently said he expects thousands of small USVs to operate across the Indo-Pacific by 2030.
Several American companies, including Anduril Industries, Saildrone and Saronic Technologies, are already producing different types of autonomous maritime systems.
Japan is also stepping up investment, allocating roughly US$600 million (S$778 million) this fiscal year for coastal defense drones through contracts with major defense manufacturers.
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi recently described drones as a critical technology, particularly as Japan faces military recruitment shortages caused by its aging population.
“I believe the Japanese Self-Defense Forces must become the world’s best military at utilizing unmanned assets,” he said.
Australia has likewise agreed to cooperate with the United States and the United Kingdom on developing unmanned underwater vehicles, while Washington continues expanding drone deployments to the Philippines amid increasing tensions in the South China Sea.
Despite regional investments, analysts believe China is spending more on maritime drones than any other country in Asia.
The People’s Liberation Army unveiled several large unmanned underwater vehicles during last year’s Victory Day military parade, including models designed for intelligence gathering and mine-laying operations.
China also operates larger unmanned surface vessels capable of anti-submarine warfare and surveillance, while conducting tests involving swarms of smaller autonomous boats.
Defense researchers say maritime drones have become another tool supporting Beijing’s broader strategy in the South China Sea.
“We had the land reclamation there, we had militarization, we had buoys and now we have drones,” said Benjamin Blandin of Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research.
Missile Tests Signal Intensifying Military Competition
China’s growing focus on naval warfare was highlighted again this week after satellite images showed what appears to be a replica of a US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer at a missile testing range in the Taklamakan Desert.
Analysts believe the mock-up could be used to test anti-ship missile accuracy against American warships.
The structure appears to be the latest addition to a series of replica US naval targets built by China over the past several years. Previous satellite imagery showed mock aircraft carriers and destroyers at another testing site in Xinjiang believed to support anti-ship ballistic missile development.
Military experts note that constructing realistic targets for weapons testing is common practice among major powers. The United States has similarly built replicas of Chinese air defense systems to evaluate its own weapons.
China has also previously constructed mock versions of key buildings and streets in Taipei at military training bases, reflecting Beijing’s continued preparations for a potential Taiwan contingency.
Recent military simulations conducted by the Hudson Institute concluded that sea drones could significantly improve the ability of smaller navies to survive in a high-intensity conflict.
During one war game simulating a Chinese attack linked to a Taiwan invasion, Japanese forces used unmanned underwater vehicles to detect enemy submarines while surface drones carried out attacks and distracted opposing forces.
The strategy helped preserve much of Japan’s conventional fleet long enough for American reinforcements to arrive, suggesting unmanned systems may increasingly serve as force multipliers rather than replacements for traditional naval assets.
Although fully autonomous lethal weapons remain politically sensitive and technically challenging, demand for combat-proven systems continues to grow.
Ukraine-based manufacturer Uforce, which produces the Magura sea drone, said it is already in discussions with several Indo-Pacific countries and is considering building manufacturing facilities within the region.
As military planners prepare for increasingly contested waters, sea drones are no longer viewed as experimental technology but as a key component of future naval warfare, offering nations a more affordable and flexible way to strengthen maritime defense while reshaping the balance of power across the Indo-Pacific.
