ESNA/Eureka reveal high-speed autonomous assault craft concept

Norway's ESNA, the USA's Eureka Naval Craft and Australia's Greenroom Robotics have unveiled a high-speed autonomous assault craft that features a heavy deck payload capacity of 40 tonnes.

“This is a high-speed, high-tech ship able to operate crewed and uncrewed," said Eureka Naval Craft CEO, Bo Jardine.

"It is further bristling with lethality and can launch Tomahawk cruise missiles and anti-ship naval strike missiles (NSM). This ‘force projection’ capability is very important as it de-risks the reliance on much bigger, more expensive crewed warships to fire missiles.

"The reality is the naval market in this weight class needs disrupting. Too many vessels today are outdated, sluggish, and expensive. The [concept] offers a very fast alternative ship which is armed to the teeth, can be made autonomous, and has the capability to carry much heavier payloads at speed, increasing lethality.”

Jardine said lower building cost is a key advantage of the proposed vessel.

“The vessel stands out by providing a more cost-effective solution compared to current naval corvettes and frigates, thanks to its optimized design and use of modular construction techniques that reduce both manufacturing and repair costs."

Proposed use cases include troop transport, landing support, electronic warfare, as a drone mothership, and for mine laying and counter-mine warfare.