Saildrone (USA) has just deployed a number of unmanned surface ships as part of NATO's Task Force X exercise in the Baltic Sea. These devices help detect and track ships of the Russian dark squadron operating in the area.
Task Force X was launched by NATO last year, led by the Alliance Transformation Command (ACT). The goal of this force is to promote the purchase, development and integration of unmanned maritime systems into naval operations.
In June this year, ACT held its second on-site drill. More than 60 US and French unmanned systems have been tested for effectiveness in practical conditions in the Baltic.
Among the participating equipment are 4 Voyager-class unmanned ships, 10m long, built by Saildrone. These ships operate in the Gulf of Finland and the western Baltic.
Saildrone Voyager discovers and tracks hundreds of ships every day. They accurately identify the enemy's forces during the exercise and detect both targets in action, including military ships and ships in Russian shadow fleets," the company said.
These unmanned ships operate continuously in harsh weather conditions, waves over 2m high, and strong winds.
In recent months, European countries have tightened sanctions on Russia's fleet of old, often uninsured tankers, often called the "shadow fleet" to avoid sanctions.
According to a report by the Brookings Research Institute, US, published in April 2025, from 2022, Russia has steadily increased the number of oil tankers in the shadow fleet. More than 40% of newly added vessels to the fleet come from suppliers in the European Union. Over the past three years, Russia has added about seven new ships per month, bringing the total to around 343.
Saildrone provides services in the form of companies owning and operating equipment, while data is provided to customers. During the NATO exercise, information from drones was integrated into the common combat system and accessed through the Saildrone mission portal, managed by the NATO Maritime Command.
In February this year, NATO held a similar experiment in the Baltic Sea near Denmark. The test combines both manned and unmanned equipment, combined with live ammunition training and tactical practice.
According to ACT, this force is working closely with manufacturers to overcome administrative barriers and quickly apply existing commercial systems to reality.
participating countries in Task Force X, such as Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Norway and the UK, will also develop a national version based on the model in the Baltic Sea to promote regional defense innovation.
