NOMARS (No Manning Required, Ship) is a concept for a range of ships and smaller watercraft operating as unmanned surface vessels (USV) for the US Department of Defense, developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). [1]
The USV concept crafts range in size and form. Examples include:
- Sea Hunter, a DARPA-developed trimaran USV launched in 2016.
- A dual hulled platform, proposed in a concept by Austal USA. [2]
- A single hulled missile ship with a propulsor and steering pod. [3]
By removing the human element from all ship design considerations, NOMARS will demonstrate significant advantages, to include size, cost (procurement, operations, and sustainment), at-sea reliability, survivability to sea-state, survivability to adversary actions (stealth considerations, resistance to tampering, etc.), and hydrodynamic efficiency (hull optimization without consideration for crew safety or comfort). [4]
In 2022, ship designer Serco was selected to develop the NOMARS program through building, testing, and demonstrating the first generation ship. [5]
In December 2024, NOMARS completed a successful first test of at-sea refueling designed for use with the USV Defiant. [6] [7]
USX-1 Defiant, the 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. [8] USX-1 Defiant does not have any mission or combat systems installed onboard and will conduct sea trials in the spring of 2025. [9]