Naval News – A Ukrainian maritime drone operated by Group 13 of military intelligence (HUR) has made history, being the first uncrewed vessel to successfully shoot down an enemy fast jet. The historic event took place on May 2 close to the strategic Russian naval base of Novorossiysk in the eastern Black Sea. This single event reflects the rapidly changing world of naval warfare.

Naval News – The war in the Black Sea is often characterised as the surface drone’s arena. Ukraine has gained the upper hand, against the odds, and now denies Russia sea control. It is an aspect of the war where Ukraine holds the cards.

The Guardian – Captain Oleksandr put his hand on the throttle and nudged it forward. His patrol boat roared into action and zipped through the waves. Behind him was the Ukrainian port of Odesa. In front – beyond a grey expanse of water, and 180km (112 miles) away, was occupied Crimea. “We’re here to stop the Russians from taking the Black Sea,” Oleksandr said, as his boat – travelling at a nippy 30 knots – rolled up and down.

UK Defence Journal – The Ministry of Defence is putting two newly developed uncrewed maritime systems—Snapper and Wasp—through final testing.

(Thanks to Alain)

The War Zone – Ukraine has claimed that it’s successfully used uncrewed surface vessels (USV), better known as drone boats, to launch aerial drones against Russian targets for the first time. According to Ukrainian authorities, the first-person view (FPV) drones were employed in combat during strikes on Russian ground-based air defense systems.

MarineLink – Ukrainian military intelligence said one of its naval drones had destroyed a Russian helicopter and damaged another one in the Black Sea.

(Thanks to Alain)

Naval News – The pace of innovation in the drone war in Ukraine is like aviation during the first world war. In the same way that the aircraft of 1914 are incomparable to those of 1918, the drones of today are so much more sophisticated and capable than those of 2022. This is especially true in the naval war in the Black Sea. The latest Ukrainian surface drone (USV) pushes the envelope even further.

The War Zone – Ukraine for the first time struck a target in Russia’s Dagestan region on Wednesday, according to local and Ukrainian officials, eyewitnesses, and Russian and Ukrainian media. The military port at Kaspiysk on the Caspian Sea was attacked by Ukrainian drones about 670 miles from the front lines.

RUSI – A consideration of other options shows that the success Ukraine has had in keeping the Russian Black Sea Fleet at bay could only have been achieved using uncrewed vessels.

The War Zone – The destruction of the ship full of fuel tank train cars at a port in the Kerch Strait yesterday will hamper Russia’s ability to supply troops and the Crimean peninsula with fuel and lubricants, according to the Ukrainian Navy and the popular Crimean Wind Telegram channel. As we reported yesterday, the Conro Trader, a Russian Roll On Roll Off (RORO) vessel with a reported 30 fuel tank cars aboard, erupted in a ball of flames at the Port of Kavkaz.

CBC – German network ARD chartered yacht and divers to see how sabotage occurred.

The War Zone – Ukraine claims it struck and sunk the Russian Russian Navy Improved Kilo class diesel-electric attack submarine Rostov-on-Don in an attack on Sevastopol “by units of the missile forces, in cooperation with units of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.” the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff claimed on Telegram.

The War Zone – A highly-modified jet ski loaded with explosives has been found off the Turkish coast near Istanbul. The uncrewed vehicle is likely part of a growing armada of Ukrainian kamikaze drone boats that have been notably effective in disrupting Russian Navy activities in the Black Sea and have sunk or damaged multiple warships.

(Thanks to Alain)

USNI News – The future of naval warfare is happening in the Black Sea.

Naval News – Ukraine’s uncrewed surface vessels are dominating naval combat in the Black Sea. Yet they have, until now, been particularly vulnerable to aircraft. So Russian defenses have emphasized using helicopters and fighter jets to stop them. Now a version armed with two repurposed air-air missiles could change the tide again.

Naval News – A mysterious maritime drone has been discovered in the Black Sea. The capsized vessel marries a U.S. built hull with a Soviet-era Russian warhead. At around 500 kg (1,100 lb), the warhead is more than twice the size of that on a Harpoon or Neptune missile.

BBC – Ukraine says it has hit two landing ships, a communications centre and other infrastructure used by Russia’s Black Sea fleet off annexed Crimea.

BMPD – It is reported that on March 8, 2024, during his visit to Turkey, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the RMK Marine shipyard in Tuzla (the southern outskirts of the Asian part of Istanbul), where he got acquainted with the construction of two Turkish-type corvettes Ada (MILGEM) for the Ukrainian Navy. 

(In Russian)

(Thanks to Alain)

BBC – Ukrainian sea drones have revolutionised naval warfare over the last few years, relentlessly hunting down Russian ships in the open sea and even at naval bases. Group-13, a secretive unit of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, was behind the Sergey Kotov attack last week, and the BBC has been given rare access to its operations.

Naval News – Ukraine’s maritime drones are shaping the war in the Black Sea. These robotic boats, termed USVs, have sunk an impressive number of Russian Navy ships. But their mere presence is having a greater, possibly more strategic, impact. Russia is having to shift its supply lines. And as the invasion of Ukrainian has shown, supply lines are key.

BBC – A Russian patrol ship has been sunk in the Black Sea after being attacked by sea drones, according to Ukrainian intelligence.

Wavell Room – Within one year, the Ukrainian Navy developed a small fleet of marine drones – the modern equivalent of ‘fire ships’ of the past – that has achieved an historical first: the defeat of a surface fleet by autonomous vessels.  This article examines how Ukraine’s ‘Navy of drones’ realised the improbable.

Naval News – This article analyzes Ukraine’s kamikaze attacks on the Russian corvette Ivanovets (January 31, 2024) and the Russian tank landing ship Caesar Kunikov (February 14, 2024) from the perspective of a naval operations planner and executor.

Forces.net – Professor Alessio Patalano believes the conflict will give the Royal Navy three key takeaways.

BBC – A big Russian amphibious ship, the Caesar Kunikov, has sunk off the coast of Russian-occupied Crimea, according to Ukraine’s armed forces.