The USX-1 Defiant, a 180-foot, 240-ton unmanned warship, was spotted in Washington state’s Puget Sound.

Developed under DARPA’s “No Manning Required Ship” (NOMARS) program with Serco as the primary contractor, the vessel was launched last month for trials.

Designed for autonomous naval missions, it aims to provide a cost-effective alternative for surveillance, reconnaissance, and intelligence gathering.

The U.S. military sees such vessels as key to countering potential threats, including in the Taiwan Strait, the Independent has reported.

The Defiant will undergo extensive testing before a major at-sea demonstration in spring 2025.

Written by B.C. Begley