VESSEL REVIEW | Vanta 12 – German-designed modular USV for strike and reconnaissance

Berlin-based Stark Defence unveiled its largest unmanned surface vehicle (USV) to date on September 28, 2026.

Vanta 12 is designed to carry MBDA's Sea Venom anti-ship missile and Stark's own Cascade loitering munition.

The USV is an AI-enabled reconnaissance and strike craft. Stark has positioned it for NATO's northern flank, the Baltic Sea and the North Atlantic.

The company said the USV is suited to deep strike, anti-submarine warfare, counter-unmanned aerial systems and electronic warfare, as well as persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Stark also sees a role in sustained observation of shadow fleet tankers.

The platform was conceived in October 2025. The first hull was built in Plymouth in the UK and entered the water in mid-2026 for harbour and sea acceptance trials.

It then took part in the Portuguese Navy and NATO REPMUS 2026 exercise from August 31 to September 25, where it operated alongside crewed ships and other USVs in simulated combat missions.

The USV has a length of 12 metres (39 feet), a beam of four metres (13 feet), and weighs 13.7 tonnes. It can carry up to 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) of payload, has a top speed in excess of 42 knots, and a range of approximately 1,200 nautical miles at 10 knots.

Stark has rated the craft to operate in conditions up to Sea State five and survive in Sea State six, in addition to being able to remain at sea for weeks.

Weapons capability tested during recent exercises

The standard sensor suite comprises radar, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) cameras, and a stabilised EO/IR pan-tilt-zoom unit. GNSS, visual reference, a compass, and heading support navigation. Communications include OneWeb, other satellite links, AIS, and a VHF radio. A crane is used to launch and recover the vessel.

The weapons fit can consist of four Sea Venom missiles in box launchers aft and a 10-cell Cascade launcher forward. The missile armament will enable the USV to strike surface targets up to 30 kilometres (20 miles) away.

Cascade is a tube-launched loitering munition with a range of up to 100 kilometres (60 miles) and a 4.5kg (9.9lb) payload. Stark Maritime Director Stephen Brian said that during Exercise REPMUS, one such munition was launched “fully digitally” from a Vanta 12 using the company’s open architecture, mission autonomy and command-and-control software.

Brian said Stark had also completed integration work for a laser weapon, and that a towed-array sonar or lightweight torpedoes could be fitted.

Configured for remote and autonomous operation

The USV can carry out pre-programmed missions autonomously or be operated remotely.

Stark Director Max Berger said humans maintain continuous supervision of the craft and must authorise any use of weapons. If the satellite link is lost, the vessel stops and attempts to avoid other traffic.

Stark said Vanta 12 will be built in the hundreds per year. The company already has agreements with Danish and German shipyards, including a September 2 declaration of intent with FSG.

The company plans to take the vessel to Nordic exercises through the rest of 2026 and into 2027.