The French Navy has tested an explosive drone boat designed for kamikaze-style attacks as part of its preparations for future naval warfare.
The test occurred on April 26 off the coast of Toulon, with the retired cargo barge Chaland de Transport de Matériel (CTM), formerly used for transport operations, serving as the target. A video posted by the French Navy on X on Tuesday shows the drone, packed with explosives, striking the decommissioned vessel.
#Expérimentation |3️⃣,2️⃣,1️⃣:💥Impact ! Nouvelle expérimentation: un jetski dronisé porteur d’une charge explosive offensive a détoné contre la coque d’un CTM 🚢🎯Démontrer l’acquisition de nouveaux savoir-faire en combat naval, dont l’emploi de munitions navales téléopérées. pic.twitter.com/Q8iMFDc0dq
— Marine nationale (@MarineNationale) April 29, 2025
The drone is part of France’s new Seaquest S program, which started in 2024. It is similar in design and function to Ukraine’s Magura V5 drone, which has been used to damage Russian ships in the Black Sea.
According to the French Armed Forces Ministry, the test helped confirm the Navy’s ability to deploy explosive surface drones from sea. Officials said these tests are more important now because of rising global tensions.
“The aim of the experiment was to confirm the French Navy’s ability to deploy a remotely-operated naval munition from the sea,” the ministry said. “Given the tougher international context, it now seems appropriate for the French Navy to carry out such experimental campaigns at sea.”
The naval-drone test comes after a live torpedo firing in December, when a French Navy nuclear attack submarine launched an F21 heavy torpedo at the decommissioned aviso Premier-Maître L’Her, causing the 80-meter vessel’s hull to break and sinking it.
The French Navy tests its new F21 Heavy Torpedo by firing it from an undisclosed nuclear submarine at the 1250 ton ‘PM L’Her’:https://t.co/nMV38DAgRz
The 533mm torpedo is 6m long and carries a 200kg warhead at 93 km/h using electric propulsion. pic.twitter.com/Yf3trazSTW— ToughSF (@ToughSf) January 17, 2025
In February, the Navy conducted a shock test on the Lafayette-class frigate Courbet, detonating a naval mine near the vessel while it was under sail with its crew onboard.
