For the first time, the Royal Navy launched the Nyan drone from a warship at sea, extending a one-way attack system previously tested by the British Army on land.
The one-way effector (OWE) was fired from the experimental vessel XV Patrick Blackett off southern England during Exercise Neptune Reach.
The trial, conducted alongside the British Army and Royal Air Force under Project Vantage, evaluated the drone’s ability to launch from a moving naval platform as part of efforts to accelerate maritime attack drone development.
It was fired from a launcher capable of accelerating OWE drones to 55 meters (180 feet) per second, generating data on launch performance and system integration at sea.
The Royal Navy is now analyzing the results with the Air and Space Warfare Centre ahead of planned trials aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.
The maritime test follows British Army trials during Exercise Spring Storm in Estonia in May, where Nyan was demonstrated as a potential deep-strike capability for UK and NATO forces.
Together, the land and sea trials validate the system’s intended cross-domain role, supporting operations from both ground and naval platforms.
Built for Precision Strike
With a 2.9-meter (10-foot) wingspan, Nyan is a compact platform designed to deliver precision effects against ground targets.
According to developer Callen-Lenz, a BAE Systems company, the drone has already been proven in land-based operations, with more than 1,000 units produced.
“These trials reflect strong collaboration across the services and industry, highlighting the pace at which we can deliver innovation to advance the UK’s integrated, multi-domain defense capability,” said Callen-Lenz CEO Matt Foster.
