On August 11, 2025, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) held a christening ceremony for the USX-1 Defiant, the first autonomous unmanned surface vessel designed to operate without ever accommodating crew, according to the company's release.
The event took place at Everett Ship Repair in Everett, Washington.
The Defiant, part of DARPA’s No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) program, features a simplified hull enabling rapid production and maintenance in a wide range of port facilities and Tier III shipyards that usually handle yachts, tugs, and workboats.
The vessel measures 180 feet in length, weighs 240 metric tons, and is undergoing final systems testing before an extended at-sea demonstration of reliability and endurance.
According to NOMARS Program Manager Greg Avicola, the ship is designed for extended open-ocean operations, can function in sea state 5 without performance loss, and survive higher seas while resuming operations after storms.
DARPA Director Stephen Winchell stated that Defiant-class vessels are intended to provide cost-effective, survivable, manufacturable, maintainable, long-range, autonomous, and distributed platforms to support naval missions, while enhancing capabilities of manned ships and expanding maritime industrial capacity.
After sea trials, Defiant will be transferred to the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office (PMS 406).
In July 2025, Congress allocated $2.1 billion for the development, procurement, and integration of medium unmanned surface vessels. Upon transfer, Defiant will become the Navy’s first fully autonomous medium unmanned surface vessel.
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense, established in 1958, tasked with funding and managing projects aimed at maintaining the technological superiority of the U.S. military. DARPA operates under the authority of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.