Poland Tests US Naval Drones Inspired by Ukraine’s Black Sea Tactics

Poland has begun discreetly testing advanced autonomous naval drones developed by the California-based defense startup HavocAI in response to growing Russian assertiveness in the Baltic Sea.

The Gaze reports this, referring to Army Recognition.

The trials, conducted near the port city of Gdynia, involved Poland’s elite JW Formoza special operations unit and included night-time maneuvers, signals intelligence collection, and simulated infiltration missions. 

The operations drew heavily on Ukraine’s successful deployment of maritime drones against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

Founded just 18 months ago, HavocAI has quickly emerged as a key innovator in naval autonomy.

Equipped with solar panels, the drones are designed for extended operational endurance. The company’s scalable design and AI-driven coordination allow fleets of various sizes, from 14-foot units to forthcoming 100-foot models, to operate together autonomously.

In June, CEO Paul Lwin emphasized the company’s mission to develop low-cost, mass-producible USVs for deployment across global theaters, including the U.S., Europe, and the Pacific.

The collaboration will integrate Lockheed’s weapon systems and manufacturing infrastructure with HavocAI’s autonomy software, a move aligned with increased Pentagon interest and congressional funding for AI-powered maritime systems.

In a parallel development, Poland is also acquiring Ukrainian-designed Warmate loitering munitions under a procurement strategy that runs through 2035.

As The Gaze reported earlier, Helge Adrians, a researcher at the Berlin-based Science and Politics Foundation, said that Europe should prepare for a new phase of escalation in the conflict with Russia in the Baltic region.