US Navy on the Hunt for Strike Drones That Can Launch from Any Warship

The U.S. Navy is quietly accelerating its search for a new generation of strike drones capable of launching from virtually any warship, a move aimed at transforming every vessel in the fleet into a potential offensive platform amid rising tensions in the Pacific and beyond.
Senior defense officials say the initiative reflects lessons learned from recent conflicts, particularly the widespread use of low-cost, long-range drones in Ukraine and the Middle East. The Navy now wants small, lethal unmanned systems that can be fired from standard ship-based launchers and strike targets hundreds of kilometers away without putting pilots or high-value aircraft at risk.
The concept, described by Navy planners as “distributed strike,” would allow destroyers, frigates, amphibious ships, and even support vessels to deploy armed drones from their existing Vertical Launch System (VLS) cells or modular deck launchers. Instead of relying solely on carrier-based aircraft or expensive cruise missiles, commanders could unleash swarms of autonomous or semi-autonomous drones to overwhelm enemy air defenses.
From Defense to Offense
For years, ship-launched drones were primarily used for surveillance and reconnaissance. Systems such as the ScanEagle and MQ-8 Fire Scout provided real-time intelligence but carried no weapons. That is now changing.
According to Navy officials familiar with the program, the service is seeking a strike-capable unmanned aerial vehicle that can be:
launched from multiple ship classes,
operated with minimal crew training,
and produced at a fraction of the cost of conventional missiles.
“These drones are not meant to replace cruise missiles or fighter jets,” one naval officer said privately. “They are meant to supplement them — and in some scenarios, to be used in large numbers where attrition is expected.”
The Navy’s interest is tied closely to its broader push toward unmanned and autonomous warfare under the Pentagon’s “Replicator” initiative, which aims to deploy thousands of expendable drones within two years to counter China’s growing military power.
A Response to China’s Anti-Access Strategy
The urgency behind the project stems largely from China’s expanding missile forces and air defenses in the Western Pacific. Beijing’s strategy of denying access to U.S. forces — often called anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) — relies on targeting aircraft carriers and major bases.
Strike drones launched from dispersed ships would complicate that strategy.
“Instead of one aircraft carrier projecting power, you could have dozens of ships each capable of launching multiple strike drones,” said a U.S. defense analyst. “It creates a much more survivable and unpredictable threat.”
Unlike traditional aircraft, these drones could be programmed for one-way missions, similar to loitering munitions. They could fly low to avoid radar, identify targets using onboard sensors, and strike with precision explosives.
Technical Challenges
Designing a drone that can be launched from “any warship” presents major engineering hurdles. The system must fit inside standard launch tubes or compact canisters, withstand saltwater environments, and integrate with existing combat systems such as Aegis radar and shipboard command networks.
Industry sources say the Navy is testing several prototypes, including tube-launched drones that unfold their wings after launch and use jet or propeller propulsion. Some models are designed to carry small warheads, while others focus on electronic warfare, jamming enemy radars before follow-on missile strikes.
Another key challenge is command and control. The Navy wants drones that can operate in contested environments where GPS and communications may be disrupted. This means greater autonomy and onboard decision-making — a shift that raises both technical and ethical questions.
Cost and Speed Matter
One of the driving forces behind the program is cost. A Tomahawk cruise missile can cost over $1 million per unit. In contrast, the Navy hopes its strike drones can be produced for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars each.
That price difference enables mass deployment.
“If you can launch 50 drones for the cost of a few missiles, you change the economics of naval warfare,” said a former Pentagon acquisition official.
A New Era of Naval Power
The push for ship-launched strike drones signals a deeper transformation in how the Navy views combat at sea. Rather than relying on a small number of highly expensive platforms, future operations may depend on networks of manned ships and unmanned weapons working together.
While still in development, officials say operational testing could begin within the next few years. If successful, the program would mark the first time in U.S. naval history that almost every warship could serve as a drone strike platform.
As one senior officer summarized, “The future fleet won’t just sail. It will launch clouds of unmanned weapons. And that changes everything.”