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SEAir is banking on foils to lift its position on the USV market
Foil technology can bring USVs greater speed, stability, and range. France-based startup SEAir is at Euronaval to showcase the benefits of its foil technology, with platforms designed for a wide range of missions, from maritime security to special and multi-domain operations (MDOs).
- With SEAir’s foil technology, naval platforms of different formats can be adapted to meet a variety of operational requirements.
- What makes the DANAE platform stand out is how foils are used to achieve greater speed and range while improving the stability of sensors and on-board systems.
- “Faster, further, and more stable”. According to SEAir, its USVs offer enhanced endurance, survivability, and operational effectiveness in adverse weather and tactical conditions.
© SEAir
Unmanned surface vessels (USVs) are playing an increasingly important role as navies seek to boost their surveillance, protection, and response capabilities. SEAir is carving out a position on the USV market with retractable, automatically controlled foils coupled with a digital architecture that can adapt to a variety of operational scenarios.
Foils offer a direct path to improved naval USV performance
“Over the past two years, SEAir has demonstrated the reliability, robustness, and major operational advantages of foil-based USVs, especially in rough seas, during NATO and DGA (French Defence procurement and technology agency) exercises,” said SEAir founder Richard Forest.
At SEAir, foils do more than just make USVs faster. They also improve stability, especially in deteriorating conditions, helping maintain the performance of sensors and on-board systems. According to SEAir, foils also improve USV endurance, mobility, and stealth.
The company’s approach is to combine foils with the navigation systems, autonomous capabilities, and mission-specific payloads to meet operational requirements in a variety of environments, such as intelligence, surveillance, maritime protection, ASuW, ASW, and electronic warfare.
One technology that adapts to a wide variety of operational needs
SEAir can adapt its core technology across a range of custom platforms designed to meet different, yet complementary, operational requirements.
The 4-metre-long SP40 – which SEAir unveiled at Euronaval – was developed for special operations and anti-trafficking activities. The compact, low-cost platform is designed for rapid deployment on land and at sea.
The SP90 measures 9m and boasts a top speed of more than 40 knots and a range of 200nm, making it ideal for port and maritime security and for naval operations off of frigates or offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). SEAir leveraged its prior experience with the FT80 platform to develop the FT90, which has been tested with France’s DGA and used in NATO exercises (REPMUS 2025, DYNAMIC MANTA 2026).
The SP120 is broader in scope, covering multi-domain operations (MDOs). The 12-metre-long platform was developed as part of the European ARROW (Autonomous Rapid Recognition Operation Warship) project, coordinated by SEAir under the European Defence Fund (EDF). With a speed of over 40 knots and a range of more than 400nm, the platform targets MDOs (intelligence, electronic warfare, naval combat, ASW, and special operations).
Finally, the SP200 platform, with a length of 20m, speed in excess of 40 knots, a range of over 800nm, and a transport capacity of 16 people and one metric tonne of payload, is designed for longer-range operations and, in its autonomous version, special operations.
“We are taking advantage of Euronaval to showcase our entire range of platforms, from our new SP40 to our FT80, which is on display (in a non-operational version) both at our booth and at the French Ministry for the Armed Forces booth. MBDA’s RCX50 UAV for ASuW and Thales’ compact FLASH sonar are also here. These contracts with major defence stakeholders are proof of the ASW capabilities of our 9- and 12-metre platforms,” said Richard Forest.
Partnerships at the core of SEAir’s market strategy
The performance of SEAir USVs is only part of the story. The company also integrates its solutions into broader naval architectures and has built partnerships with defence industry leaders like Thales and MBDA. SEAir is coordinating a consortium – made up of ÆGIR, MBDA, and Diades Marine – selected for the French Defence Innovation Agency (AID) and French Navy programme DANAE (Drone de surface Autonome Naval avec capacité d’Armement Embarqué). The programme will result in the first variant of the SP90 autonomous USV, designed specifically for port security and vessel escort operations. A trial phase conducted by DGA in January 2026 led to the consortium being selected for the programme in October alongside two other solutions that will also be developed further and tested.
“With each step, we move closer to making our 2030 strategy a reality. We intend to become a major player in the European USV industry. Our hope is that Euronaval will help speed things up,” said Richard Forest.
- Linda Verhaeghe
