SYDNEY, — April 9, 2026 : Leidos Australia is progressing with trials of its Sea Archer uncrewed surface vessel (USV), as the company advances the platform toward potential operational use and alignment with future requirements of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Currently, only two Sea Archer vessels exist globally. One has been constructed in Australia, while the second was built in the United States. The Australian-built vessel, measuring 11.2 meters in length, is undergoing a structured trial program aimed at demonstrating system maturity and readiness.
Harbour Trials Completed, Sea Trials Scheduled
Kevin Quanderer, International Director of Science and Technology at Leidos Australia, confirmed in late March 2026 that the vessel successfully completed harbour acceptance trials in Tasmania without any significant issues.
The next phase of testing is scheduled for May 2026, when sea acceptance trials will be conducted from Darwin in northern Australia. These trials will expose the vessel to varying sea states to validate performance and increase its Technology Readiness Level (TRL) to Level 6 in a mission-relevant environment.
Following the completion of both harbour and sea acceptance trials, the Sea Archer is expected to be assessed as operationally ready. Leidos is also evaluating opportunities for participation in naval exercises, operational testing, and potential deployment activities.
Alignment with Australia’s Future Fleet Plans
The trials are directly relevant to Australia’s evolving naval strategy. The 2024 surface fleet review recommended the acquisition of six Large Optionally Crewed Surface Vessels (LOSV), each designed with 32 missile cells.
Leidos has positioned Sea Archer as a potential candidate for this requirement. Quanderer noted that while the review provides a baseline, requirements may evolve further in 2026. He described the platform as being in a “balanced” design position, allowing it to be scaled up or down depending on mission needs.
Indigenous Manufacturing and Industrial Base
Leidos has emphasized a sovereign development approach for the Sea Archer program. According to Quanderer, the vessel has been “built in Australia by Australians for Australian missions,” reflecting a focus on domestic capability development.
The company has identified between 14 and 16 Australian shipyards capable of producing the vessels at scale if required. The first Australian Sea Archer hull was constructed by Oceans Rivers Lakes on the New South Wales Central Coast.
The platform uses an aluminium hull, enabling faster production using commercial shipbuilding techniques, particularly during periods of high operational demand. Apart from the autonomy software package, nearly all components of the vessel can be manufactured within Australia using local supply chains.
Leidos is also considering Australia as a manufacturing hub for Indo-Pacific partners, with discussions underway involving regional customers.
Platform Design and Technical Specifications
The Sea Archer is built on a hull form designed by Gibbs and Cox, which has been in operational use for approximately 30 years and is regarded as a proven design.
Key specifications include:
- Length: 11.2 meters
- Maximum speed: 40 knots
- Range: 1,500 nautical miles, extendable by approximately 20% using additional fuel stored within payload capacity
- Payload capacity: 900 kilograms
The vessel is capable of full operations in Sea States 1 to 4 and can continue operating with reduced performance in Sea States 5 to 6.
The Sea Archer features a closed-hull, modular payload design. This configuration prevents external identification of onboard systems or weapons, requiring adversaries to account for multiple potential mission profiles. The payload bay supports rapid reconfiguration depending on mission requirements.
The platform is also expeditionary in nature. It can be transported within a standard 40-foot shipping container, airlifted via a C-17 aircraft, or deployed via trailer from boat ramps.
Mission Roles and Payload Integration
Leidos has defined four primary mission roles for the Sea Archer:
- Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)
- Micro-logistics and resupply
- Electronic warfare, including support and attack functions
- Kinetic strike
For strike capabilities, Leidos has established agreements with Kongsberg to integrate the Naval Strike Missile, and with Australian firm Innovaero for the OWL-X loitering munition system.
While the current focus is on anti-ship strike capabilities, Quanderer indicated that surface-to-air roles are technically feasible, subject to integration decisions and funding.
The platform is designed to loiter on station for extended durations, supporting persistent maritime operations.
Operational Use Cases and Regional Context
Quanderer referenced a Chinese naval task force transit through the Tasman Sea in early 2025 as an example of operational scenarios where USVs like Sea Archer could be deployed. In such cases, the vessel could perform escort or monitoring roles within Australia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or territorial waters.
He noted that low-cost USVs can assume traditional roles such as ISR, logistics, and escort missions, enabling crewed naval vessels to focus on higher-priority tasks.
The platform is also designed for integration into manned-unmanned teaming concepts. Multiple USVs can operate collaboratively, sharing data and coordinating actions to enhance overall mission effectiveness. Cross-domain operations with uncrewed aerial systems are also being considered.
Leidos Autonomy Experience and Broader Portfolio
Leidos brings more than 50 years of experience in autonomy systems, particularly through its work with the United States Navy. Its maritime portfolio includes platforms such as the Sea Hunter and Seahawk medium USVs, as well as the Sea Dart unmanned underwater vehicle.
The U.S. Navy is expected to deploy two medium USVs — Sea Hunter and Seahawk — under fleet control later in 2026, including integration into a carrier strike group.
Program Status and Next Steps
The Sea Archer program in Australia is fully funded by Leidos as a research and development initiative. The company is continuing to mature the platform’s autonomy systems using operational data collected in Australian waters.
With harbour trials completed in March 2026 and sea acceptance trials scheduled for May 2026 from Darwin, the program is progressing according to plan. Further decisions regarding operational deployment, procurement alignment, and export opportunities are expected to depend on trial outcomes and evolving naval requirements in Australia and the Indo-Pacific region.
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