Norwegian maritime technology company Kongsberg Maritime has unveiled an unmanned surface vessel designed to help the Royal Navy detect submarines in the increasingly contested waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic.
The vessel, called Arctic Hunter, adapts the design of a commercial fishing vessel with autonomous navigation technology and submarine-hunting sensors, offering a potentially faster and cheaper way to expand the UK’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
Unveiled on November 9, 2026, the Arctic Hunter is proposed for the Royal Navy’s Type 92 application and is part of the UK’s planned hybrid fleet of manned and unmanned naval platforms.
Kongsberg is working with Thales UK on sonar and military communications, while shipbuilding partner Balaena Maritime is expected to build the ships at its Birkenhead shipyard if the proposal is selected.
The company plans to have ships ready for military integration and operational use by the end of the decade.
A commercial fishing vessel becomes a submarine hunter
Instead of designing an entirely new military ship, Kongsberg chose an existing Arctic merchant ship design as the basis for Arctic Hunter. The proposed platform is based on a 56 meter long fishing vessel hull, originally designed for demanding conditions in the North Atlantic and Arctic.
The conversion replaces the ship’s fishing and processing equipment with remote control systems, autonomous technologies and military mission equipment. Its significant internal volume and deck space also allows for the installation of additional sensors and payloads as operational requirements change.
The vessel is designed to operate without a crew on board, with Kongsberg proposing deployments lasting up to 60 days at sea. It would operate from a forward support base within the Arctic Circle and, along with manned warships and other surveillance platforms, would provide sustained submarine detection.
An important part of the design is reducing the ship’s underwater acoustic signature. Engine and propeller noise can disrupt sensitive sonar equipment, making a quiet operating platform essential for submarine detection. Kongsberg says it is optimizing the hull and propulsion system to reduce underwater noise.
How Arctic Hunter could detect submarines
The proposed vessel will carry Thales UK’s submarine hunting sonar and secure military communications. Reporting from The war zone identifies the proposed sensor as Sonar 2087, a towed sonar already used by Royal Navy Type 23 frigates and intended for the newer Type 26 fleet.
A towed sonar consists of sensitive hydrophones mounted in a long cable behind a ship. These sensors listen for acoustic signals underwater, including sounds generated by submarine machinery and propulsion systems.
In contrast to active sonar, which emits sound pulses and analyzes their echoes, passive sonar listens without sending signals. This can help naval forces detect and track submarines while reducing the risk of revealing their own position.
By transporting this equipment on an unmanned platform, the Royal Navy was able to distribute submarine detection sensors over a larger area without assigning an additional crewed warship for each surveillance task. The resulting information could be transmitted to other naval assets for further assessment and coordinated operations.
Part of the UK’s hybrid naval strategy
Arctic Hunter is proposed for the Royal Navy’s Type 92 program, part of its broader Hybrid Navy concept. The approach combines traditional crewed warships with unmanned surface vessels, underwater systems and autonomous platforms.
The initiative is closely linked to the UK’s Atlantic Bastion strategy, which aims to strengthen surveillance and protection of critical underwater infrastructure and monitor submarine activity across the North Atlantic and the Far North.
The UK and Norway have also committed to expanding cooperation in autonomous maritime systems under the Lunna House Agreement, which identifies the High North as a priority for joint defense development.
However, the Arctic Hunter remains more of an industry proposal than an operational Royal Navy ship. The Type 92 selection, final configuration and procurement quantities were not announced.
If adopted, the draft could provide the Royal Navy with a way to expand its underwater surveillance network using commercially built ships equipped with specialized military sensors. Rather than replacing frigates and other anti-submarine warfare platforms, Arctic Hunter is intended to provide them with more persistent detection coverage in some of NATO’s most strategic waters.
