The New Unmanned Threat to Shipping: Why Commercial Vessels Need UAV & USV Anti-Drone Detection Systems

Babis Papaspyros*

In recent years, the international commercial shipping industry has found itself facing a new, asymmetric, and rapidly evolving threat: combined attacks by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs).

Incidents have surged dramatically, with hundreds of strikes on vessels operating in the Black Sea, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Eastern Mediterranean.

The recent attack (July 19, 2026) on the Greek-interest tankers "Asia" and "Nissos Ios" while loading oil at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal off the Russian coast serves as yet another clear warning: commercial ships are now direct targets in a multi-domain operational theater.

The Dual Challenge: Drones in the Air (UAV) and at Sea (USV)

The threat no longer originates solely from the skies, but also directly from the water's surface:

 1. Aerial Drones (UAVs / FPVs / Kamikaze)

* Fly at extremely low altitudes (*sea-skimming*).

* Reach speeds of 120–180 km/h.

* Target sensitive superstructures (the bridge, pump rooms, accommodation spaces, and manifolds).

2. Surface Drones (USVs)

* Sail virtually submerged (*low profile*), leaving a minimal visual and radar footprint.

* Reach speeds in excess of 30–40 knots.

* Carry hundreds of kilograms of high explosives, aiming directly at the waterline to cause hull breaches, catastrophic damage, or fires near fuel compartments

The Problem: Conventional Maritime Radars Are "Blind"

Most commercial vessels rely on:

* Standard Navigation & Long-Range Radars

* ARPA & AIS Systems

* Low-resolution EO/IR navigation cameras

These systems were designed to detect traditional maritime targets: other ships, islets, buoys, and weather patterns.

Both small UAVs and fast-moving USVs possess an extremely low Radar Cross Section (RCS). Their profile simply disappears into wave clutter and sea spray. As a result, the vessel remains "blind" to an impending threat that materializes in just a matter of minutes or seconds.

Armed Security Personnel Are Ineffective Without Sensors

Many large commercial ships now deploy Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel (PCASP) in High-Risk Areas (HRAs). However, without specialized sensors:

* Security guards do not know the direction from which the threat is approaching (air vs. surface).

* There is insufficient reaction time to take up combat positions.

* They cannot simultaneously cover both the main deck and the waterline.

The absence of dedicated detection transforms defense into a last-second knee-jerk reaction which is operationally inadequate.

The Solution: Holistic UAV & USV Detection Systems

Installing specialized detection, rather than active suppression (jamming) systems is completely legal, technologically mature, and operationally imperative.

To provide effective protection, a detection array must monitor both domain vectors simultaneously.

These sensors do not broadcast jamming signals, do not interfere with navigation instruments, and are not classified as weapons systems.

Legal Framework: Why Detection Is Fully Permissible

International regulations (particularly those of the International Telecommunication Union and the safety-of-navigation requirements of the International Maritime Organization), combined with maritime war-risk insurance clauses, effectively render the use of active RF jammers and military-grade weapon systems on commercial vessels impractical and, in practice, prohibited.

However, Situational Awareness is fully permissible and strongly encouraged. Integrating dual-domain (UAV & USV) anti-drone detection sensors is simply the natural evolution of a vessel's existing security equipment.

What 60 Seconds of Early Warning Gives the Vessel

Even if a merchant ship lacks hard-kill interception capabilities, **a 60-second early warning changes everything**:

1. Crew Protection:The crew and guards immediately muster inside the armored Citadel.

2. Disaster Prevention (Tankers / LNG): Instant initiation of Emergency Shutdown (ESD) protocols to isolate valves and halt cargo loading.

3. Countermeasure Deployment: Activation of high-pressure water cannons and firehoses along the waterline to impede or deviate incoming USVs.

4. Targeted Engagement: Armed guards gain the vital time needed to acquire, track, and effectively engage targets using small arms.

Complementary Operational Benefit: Protection Against Conventional Piracy & Boarding

While combined UAV and USV strikes currently represent the primary asymmetric threat, the long-standing tactics of armed insurgents and pirates, specifically stealth boardings, vessel seizures, and crew hostage-taking for ransom,must not be overlooked. Holistic anti-drone detection systems prove equally indispensable against these conventional threats. High-resolution 360° thermal sensors (EO/IR) and specialized radars identify fast-approaching pirate skiffs well in advance, even in total darkness, while passive RF receivers can intercept the perpetrators' tactical radio communications prior to physical contact. Ultimately, this unified sensor suite extends the vessel’s defense envelope against all forms of maritime intrusion.

Lessons from the Asia & Nissos Ios Incident

The attack on the two Greek-interest tankers demonstrated that:

* The threat is not restricted to open waters; it strikes vessels at anchorages and offshore loading terminals.

* Commercial vessels are primary targets, not collateral damage.

* The absence of integrated UAV & USV detection sensors represents a critical security gap that must be bridged immediately

International shipping cannot continue responding to 21st-century threats with 20th-century tools. Deploying UAV & USV detection systems must become "standard practice" for all commercial vessels operating in high-risk areas.

Early warning saves lives, protects the vessel and its cargo, mitigates financial risk, and enables crews and security teams to respond effectively.

* Retired Brigadier General Hellenic Air Force & Former Vice President, Hellenic Aerospace Industry S.A.