NOMARS
Unmanned surface vessel concept eliminating crew design constraints.
NOMARS (No Manning Required, Ship) is a concept developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for a range of ships and smaller watercraft operating as unmanned surface vessels (USV) for the US Department of Defense. By removing the human element from all ship design considerations, NOMARS aims to demonstrate significant advantages in size, cost, at-sea reliability, survivability, and hydrodynamic efficiency.
- Program name
- NOMARS (No Manning Required, Ship)
- Developer
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
- First usv launched
- Sea Hunter (2016)
- First generation ship designer selected
- Serco (2022)
- Notable usv
- USX-1 Defiant
- Usx-1 defiant length
- 180 feet
- Usx-1 defiant displacement
- 240 metric tons
Lore & Background
The NOMARS program encompasses a range of USV concepts varying in size and form. Examples include the Sea Hunter, a DARPA-developed trimaran USV launched in 2016; a dual-hulled platform proposed in a concept by Austal USA; and a single-hulled missile ship with a propulsor and steering pod. In 2022, ship designer Serco was selected to develop the NOMARS program through building, testing, and demonstrating the first generation ship. In December 2024, NOMARS completed a successful first test of at-sea refueling designed for use with the USV Defiant. The USX-1 Defiant, a 180-foot-long, 240-metric ton medium USV, was first seen in public in March 2025 near the U.S. Navy's Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island. It does not have any mission or combat systems installed onboard and will conduct sea trials in the spring of 2025.
Reader's Guide
The NOMARS program represents a shift in naval design by eliminating the need for crew accommodations, life support, and safety systems, allowing for optimized hull forms and reduced procurement and operational costs. The successful at-sea refueling test in December 2024, involving the USV Mariner deploying a refueling probe toward the USV Ranger without human interaction on the receiving vessel, demonstrated a key capability for sustained autonomous operations. The program's emphasis on survivability to sea-state and adversary actions, including stealth and resistance to tampering, positions it as a potential foundation for future unmanned naval fleets. The USX-1 Defiant, as the first medium USV built under the program, will undergo sea trials in spring 2025 to validate these design principles, though it currently lacks mission or combat systems.
Did You Know?
- The NOMARS program includes a single-hulled missile ship concept with a propulsor and steering pod.
- In December 2024, NOMARS completed the first test of fueling at sea without any human interaction required on the part of the receiving vessel.
- The USX-1 Defiant was first seen in public in March 2025 near Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
- The Sea Hunter, a DARPA-developed trimaran USV, was launched in 2016 as part of the NOMARS concept.
More in Underwater and Surface Drones, Part 2 1-24
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