During BALTOPS 2026, two Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft built by BlackSea Technologies were photographed idling in the Baltic Sea as Unmanned Surface Vessel Division 32 prepared for a swarm exercise with USS Mount Whitney. The image captures the GARCs staging at the start point before joining NATO’s premier Baltic Sea training event, which strengthens combined maritime response and freedom of navigation. Their role in the swarm highlights how small autonomous platforms are increasingly integrated into distributed operations and multinational exercises across Europe.

During BALTOPS 2026, sailors from Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron 3 Division 32 remotely operated BlackSea Technologies’ GARC unmanned surface vessel during a swarm exercise off the coast of Gdynia, Poland. Navy imagery shows a USVRON‑3 operator controlling the craft as part of NATO’s premier Baltic Sea training event, which strengthens combined maritime response and freedom of navigation. The demonstration highlights GARC’s growing incorporation into distributed unmanned tactics and real‑world fleet operations across Europe, underscoring the platform’s role in advancing autonomous capabilities within allied exercises.

During BALTOPS 2026, sailors from Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron 3 Division 32 launched BlackSea Technologies’ GARC unmanned surface vessel from the pier in Gdynia, Poland, preparing the platform for a swarm exercise with USS Mount Whitney. The imagery captures the team pushing the craft into the water as part of NATO’s premier Baltic Sea training event, which focuses on strengthening combined maritime response and freedom of navigation. The launch highlights how GARC platforms are being integrated into real‑world fleet operations and swarm tactics as autonomous systems take on a larger role in distributed maritime missions.

During BALTOPS 2026, sailors from Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron 3 Division 32 oversaw BlackSea Technologies’ GARC unmanned surface vessel as it navigated a charted course during a live‑fire exercise near Gdynia, Poland. Operating from the Navy’s Unmanned Operations Center, the team coordinated with German and Finnish warships as part of NATO’s premier Baltic Sea training event. The demonstration highlighted the GARC’s growing operational role in distributed maritime exercises and showcased how autonomous systems are being integrated into allied live‑fire drills that strengthen combined maritime security and freedom of navigation in the region.

During BALTOPS 2026, U.S. Navy personnel from Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron 3 Division 32 remotely operated BlackSea Technologies’ GARC unmanned surface vessels during a swarm exercise off the coast of Ustka, Poland. Navy imagery shows sailors controlling the craft as they maneuver from the Stupia River into the Baltic Sea, demonstrating distributed unmanned operations in one of NATO’s premier annual maritime exercises. The event underscores the GARC platform’s growing role in real‑world fleet training and highlights how autonomous surface systems are being integrated to support freedom of navigation and combined maritime security in the Baltic region.

U.S. Navy imagery from BALTOPS 2026 shows Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft operated by Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron 3 idling in the Stupia River before heading into the Baltic Sea for a swarm exercise. The demonstration highlights how BlackSea Technologies’ GARC platforms are being used in one of NATO’s most important annual maritime exercises to strengthen interoperability and freedom of navigation in the region. Operating alongside allied forces, the small autonomous vessels support distributed maritime operations and reflect the growing role of unmanned systems in NATO readiness and training.

BlackSea Technologies is showcasing its high‑speed Comet unmanned surface vessel at SOF Week 2026, bringing the combat‑ready platform to the Tampa Convention Center waterfront. The 13.1‑meter vessel can exceed 45 knots, carry a 10,000‑pound payload, and supports a wide range of missions including counter‑UAS, mine countermeasures, surface warfare, antisubmarine warfare, and electronic warfare. Designed to bridge the gap between small tactical USVs and larger unmanned combat craft, Comet features advanced sensors, weapons, and survivability enhancements from partners across industry. BlackSea says the platform gives special operations forces a fast, adaptable unmanned option for today’s contested maritime environments.

U.S. Navy expeditionary forces are operating in the High North with Norway from May 4 to 24, 2026, to deploy and test advanced robotics and autonomous systems in one of the world’s most austere maritime environments. The bilateral exercise in Ramsund validates defensive missions including mine countermeasures, protection of undersea infrastructure, and maritime domain awareness and ISR. Commander, Task Force 66 and Commander, Task Force 68 are employing a suite of USVs and UUVs, including high‑speed GARC and long‑endurance Lightfish platforms, while integrating cold‑weather procedures with Norwegian forces. The effort strengthens Arctic security and accelerates unmanned integration across the fleet.

A U.S. autonomous surface vessel operated north of the Arctic Circle during Arctic Sentry 2026, as BlackSea Technologies demonstrated its GARC platform alongside U.S. 6th Fleet, USVRON‑3, and the Royal Norwegian Navy. The exercise gave the GARC a chance to operate in demanding cold‑weather conditions rarely replicated in standard trials, including ice, unpredictable sea states, and challenging communications. U.S. Navy imagery showed the craft performing in Breivika Bay as part of NATO’s broader effort to strengthen its posture in the High North. The event underscored the value of small autonomous vessels for surveillance, sensing, and distributed operations in contested regions.

BlackSea Technologies demonstrated its GARC unmanned surface vessels during Arctic Sentry 2026, operating alongside U.S. 6th Fleet, USVRON‑3, and the Royal Norwegian Navy in Ramsund, Norway. The exercise allowed the GARC platform to prove its autonomous performance in cold‑weather, high‑latitude conditions while supporting NATO’s multi‑domain vigilance efforts in the High North. Imagery released by the Navy showed GARC units operating in Breivika Bay as part of a broader push to strengthen allied maritime security. The event underscored the value of small, scalable autonomous vessels for distributed operations, interoperability, and training in demanding environments.