Skana Robotics unveils scalable, mission-adaptive autonomous maritime vessels

Skana Robotics, an Israeli company founded by naval special operations veterans and robotics experts, unveiled the first two platforms of its new class of autonomous maritime systems on 1 September 2025: the Bull Shark unmanned surface vessel (USV) and the Stingray autonomous underwater vessel (AUV).

The Bull Shark is a tactical USV designed for multiple missions including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and interdiction. It features a scalable design, a payload capacity of up to 150 kg, and functions as a communications hub to co-ordinate multiple surface and sub-surface assets.

The Stingray, meanwhile, is a loitering AUV designed for ISR, anti-submarine warfare and infrastructure protection in complex underwater terrain. It supports autonomous underwater navigation, seabed anchoring and silent standby cabilities. The Stingray has a standard 24-hour battery life, extendable through a battery module, and can be launched from a designated underwater docking station, submarines, patrol boats, or other naval​ vessels.

“These platforms represent a shift toward software-defined, scalable, and operationally flexible naval assets, engineered for teaming with both manned and unmanned systems across distributed maritime operations,” the company stated.

Skana confirmed that initial orders for the vessels have already been secured and the company is now entering the next phase of scaling deployment with operational partners worldwide.

Developed with a focus on mass production, flexibility and NATO-standard integration, the new platforms are designed to extend naval presence while minimising logistical footprint and cost. All Skana systems are designed to evolve through code and enable seamless interoperability with existing legacy fleets and allied systems.

Skana’s production methodology removes traditional barriers to naval expansion, enabling allied nations to deploy thousands of autonomous vessels without relying on shipyards or cumbersome manufacturing processes that compromise mission effectiveness.

“This approach redefines how maritime resilience can be achieved at scale and what a truly self-sustained force structure looks like,” the company stated.

At the heart of Skana’s unmanned fleet is SeaSphere, the company’s resource allocation and mission planning engine, and Vera, a proprietary Robot Operating System (ROS) 2-based mission execution and supervision layer. Vera translates fleet-wide directives into localised autonomous actions, adapting to environmental changes in real time. This architecture enables distributed command, unmanned-unmanned collaboration, and real-time teaming with manned platforms.

“The maritime domain demands autonomy that can survive complexity, adapt instantly and operate without compromise,” Idan Levy, co-founder and CEO of Skana Robotics, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “We are making advanced autonomous capabilities accessible and scalable, enabling wide deployment and synergy between systems. Our ecosystem of vessels and technologies supports real-time data sharing, modular reconfiguration, and both fully autonomous and remotely operated missions, offering navies unmatched operational resilience, adaptability, and flexibility.”