Maritime USV Collaboration Drives Regional Unmanned Naval Capabilities Between Al Seer Marine And L3Harris

The growing need for autonomous naval capabilities in the UAE and wider GCC is driving new industrial partnerships. Al Seer Marine, a subsidiary of IHC, has agreed a strategic collaboration with L3Harris Technologies to develop maritime unmanned systems for defence, security and government users.

The partners aim to deploy advanced unmanned surface vessel fleets that can operate at scale and share data. Their solutions are intended to be interoperable and mission ready, supporting evolving defence requirements and coast guard tasks across regional waters and strategic shipping lanes.

Under the agreement, Al Seer Marine will manage platform design, shipbuilding, systems integration and lifecycle support. L3Harris Technologies will supply autonomous control, mission software, and network integration. Together, the companies plan to deliver end-to-end unmanned surface vessel capabilities tailored to UAE and GCC clients.

The cooperation covers a full range of USV programme needs, including platform development, autonomous navigation functions, mission systems, and command-and-control integration. It also extends to operator training and long-term operational support, enabling sustained availability of unmanned assets for naval and coast guard operations.

The framework is structured to enable multi-vessel missions using common control architectures and scalable deployment models. These features are intended to support complex tasking, such as joint patrols, surveillance missions and coastal protection, while keeping human operators at safe stand-off distances where required.

"By combining our shipbuilding and integration excellence with L3Harris’ world-class autonomous systems, we are creating a powerful offering that strengthens national capabilities, supports regional security priorities, and positions Al Seer Marine at the forefront of next-generation unmanned maritime solutions," said Guy Neivens, Chief Executive Officer of Al Seer Marine. The agreement also underlines Al Seer Marine’s role in building local industrial capability, supporting knowledge transfer and contributing long-term value for shareholders and stakeholders.

With inputs from WAM