Dec 22, 2025 - Technology

Exclusive: Ukrainians eye drone collaboration in Portugal trials

Colin Demarest

Sunset behind a silhouette of trees with three small boats moving on the water, reflecting golden light on the rippling waves. — A row of HavocAI's autonomous surface vessels. Photo: Courtesy of HavocAI

Ukrainian officials this month observed a defense-tech demonstration in Portugal involving the coordination of air and sea drones in the absence of GPS.

Why it matters: Ukraine's unmanned wins — including striking Russian warships in the Black Sea and ambushing nuclear-capable bombers — have flipped military thinking on its head.

Driving the news: The tests in Troia, a location often used for NATO experimentation, showed how HavocAI's software lets autonomous boats, like its Rampage, work with drones to find, track and attack targets.

The Ukrainians requested the demo. The front lines in Eastern Europe are rife with electronic interference.

What they're saying: "Ukraine was the first military to prove the value of attritable unmanned naval assets," HavocAI CEO Paul Lwin told Axios.

"Their success is the reason HavocAI exists today, and nearly two years after our founding, we're excited to be able to now offer our collaborative autonomy capabilities in GPS-denied environments."

Zoom out: Rhode Island-based HavocAI is attracting international attention. The company is backed by In-Q-Tel and Lockheed Martin Ventures, among others.

The company has partnered with Hanwha Global Defense and explored shipyard operations in South Korea.
Polish special operations units tested its drone boats earlier this year, according to multiple reports.

Go deeper: Ukraine's defense minister warns Europe: Act now

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Exclusive: Ukrainians eye drone collaboration in Portugal trials

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