French firm SEAir has initiated a European Defence Fund-backed project to develop ARROW, a fully autonomous uncrewed surface vessel (USV). Unveiled in Brussels and coordinated through the European Defence Agency, the initiative targets completion by 2028 with a total budget of €7.5 million ($8.6 million).
ARROW is a 12-meter (39-foot) hydrofoil-equipped vessel designed for both autonomous and crewed missions. It can achieve speeds of up to 45 knots (83 km/h or 52 mph) and has an operational range of 400 nautical miles (740 kilometers/460 miles). The hydrofoil design is optimized for reduced fuel consumption—by up to 50%—lower wake, and stealthier, low-visibility operations.
SEAir leads a multinational consortium of 10 partners from eight EU countries and associated nations. The consortium includes eight SMEs and two research institutions, such as C&V Defence, D3 Applied Technologies, Knierim Yachtbau, Maritime Robotics, Riga Technical University, Tallinn University of Technology, Sierra Tango, Maxwell Applied Tech, and EU3STAR.
Given Europe’s extensive 90,000-kilometer (56,000-mile) coastline and the rising maritime threats, SEAir emphasized that ARROW will offer a fast, agile, and cost-efficient platform for maritime security and surveillance missions.
This initiative is part of the European Union’s broader defense acceleration strategy. In May, the EU allocated €910 million ($1.02 billion) through the European Defence Fund to support mobility, drone defense, and other security capabilities. For the first time, Ukrainian companies participated in these projects. Of the total, €369 million goes to 39 research projects and €539 million to 23 development initiatives.
