The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has unveiled an upgraded generation of its unmanned maritime strike platforms known as “Sea Baby,” which have already played a role in high-profile operations in the Black Sea.
The drones were shown publicly for the first time in footage released by the SBU, which emphasized their combat-tested effectiveness and expanded operational reach.
According to SBU officials, the new generation of Sea Baby drones is an evolution of platforms that have already seen combat. The SBU confirmed that these systems were involved in the third strike on the Crimean Bridge, which occurred on June 3, 2025.
“Our drones have changed the balance of power in the Black Sea and proved their effectiveness,” said SBU Director Lieutenant General Vasyl Maliuk. “The new generation of Sea Baby is even more effective. The operation to clear the Black Sea of the Russian fleet will continue. The enemy will feel the full force of our technological advances.”
The unmanned platforms, developed in-house by Ukraine’s 13th Directorate of Military Counterintelligence, were funded through public donations collected via the UNITED24 fundraising initiative. In a statement, one of the senior SBU officers overseeing the program, known by the callsign “Hunter,” said the updated Sea Baby models now have an operational range of more than 1,500 kilometers and can carry up to 2,000 kilograms of payload.
According to Brigadier General Ivan Lukashevych, also known as “Hunter,” the drones used in the 2025 Crimean Bridge attack successfully delivered explosives to specific structural targets. “The Sea Babies delivered the charges to the required point. These explosives were used to damage the supports of this illegal structure,” Lukashevych said.
The newly revealed drones feature two distinct weapon configurations. One is equipped with a gyro-stabilized remote-controlled machine gun turret featuring automatic target acquisition and recognition. The second drone carries a 10-barrel Grad multiple launch rocket system, adapted for use at sea.
In a statement, Lukashevych added: “The SBU is the ideological architect of a new kind of maritime warfare. We are constantly searching for effective tools to maintain Ukraine’s edge in the Black Sea. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s task is clear: neutralize the strength of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. We are working actively on that.”
Ukrainian unmanned naval operations have become a defining feature of maritime war in the region. The increasing effectiveness of Ukraine’s drone fleet has already forced Russia to reposition a majority of its naval vessels from Crimea to the port of Novorossiysk, hundreds of kilometers to the east. These actions have enabled Ukraine to reestablish maritime grain exports and challenge Russian control of key sea lanes.
The SBU stated that it continues to develop other advanced naval and underwater unmanned systems, although details of those projects remain classified.
