Ukraine unveils MV11 drone carrier
MV11 drone mothership (Photo: UFORCE)
Ukrainian naval drone manufacturer UFORCE has unveiled a
drone mothership USV based on the Magura
hull, capable of deploying UAVs far from shore, The
War Zone and Kyiv Post
reported on Aug. 25.
The 7-meter MV11 was shown to the public for the first time during the Aug. 24 Independence Day parade in Kyiv. The vessel traveled along the Dnipro River alongside other members of the Magura family and additional unmanned surface vessels, including craft armed with modified air-to-air missiles.
The MV11 can carry up to 2,200 kilograms of payload and operate autonomously for up to a week. Based on available images, the vessel is equipped with a camera turret, a navigation radar and at least two horn-shaped antennae.
The vessel’s deck consists of a flat platform with compartments along the hull protected from seawater and spray. Kyiv Post researchers estimated that the available deck space could theoretically allow the rapid launch of 20 to 40 FPV drones in a single wave, with up to three waves launched overall if the drones were stored in tiers.
“We are proud to present the MV11 on Ukraine’s Independence Day,” UFORCE CEO Oleh Rohinskyi said.
“This is not simply the largest maritime drone; it is a platform that provides multidomain capabilities — a single carrier that transports and launches other unmanned systems far from shore.”
UFORCE was founded in Ukraine, but its headquarters are in London. The publication describes it as a defense conglomerate specializing in unmanned technologies. The company’s main design bureau, which is developing the Magura series, is based in Portugal. Funding for the MV11 came from unnamed countries allied with Ukraine.
In addition to serving as a drone carrier, the MV11 can be
used for intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance; to support amphibious
operations; and to transport fuel and equipment for other maritime drones,
according to UFORCE. The company says the vessel can perform these roles around
the clock and in any weather.
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