Profile
- Type
- Rocket-armed unmanned surface vessel
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Origin
- Ukraine
- Service note
- Russia-Ukraine War, documented from 2023
Aircraft & UAVs
Grad-armed Sea Baby drones
Grad-armed Sea Baby drones are Ukrainian Security Service unmanned surface vessels adapted from the Sea Baby naval drone into a reusable coastal-strike platform. The variant replaces or supplements the explosive-boat role with a compact launcher for 122 mm Grad rockets, allowing Ukrainian operators to fire from the sea at shore targets such as Russian positions on the Kinburn Spit while retaining the Sea Baby platform's long range and high-speed unmanned surface-vehicle profile.
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Built by
- Security Service of Ukraine
- Built in
- Ukraine
Service History
- In service
- Used by Ukrainian forces during the Russia-Ukraine War
- Used by
- Security Service of Ukraine, Ukrainian Navy
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- Security Service of Ukraine
- Designed
- Sea Baby program public from 2023; Grad-armed configuration publicly confirmed in 2024
- Built by
- Security Service of Ukraine
- Built in
- Ukraine
- Unit cost
- Sea Baby baseline reported at about UAH 8.5 million or about US$213,000-221,000
- Produced
- 2023-present
- Number built
- Not publicly disclosed
- Variants
- Sea Baby USV with six 122 mm Grad rockets, Sea Baby explosive strike variant, Sea Baby mine-laying variant
Specifications
- Crew
- Uncrewed, remotely operated surface vessel
- Armament
- Grad multiple-launch rocket system fit; open-source imagery documents a six-rocket 122 mm Grad configuration
- Platform
- Sea Baby unmanned surface vessel
- Range
- Up to 1,000 km for the Sea Baby platform
- Speed
- Up to 90 km/h
- Payload
- Sea Baby baseline combat load up to 850 kg
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: Ukraine
Ukrainian Security Service Sea Baby unmanned surface vessels were fitted with Grad multiple-rocket launchers and reported used with the Ukrainian Navy against Russian positions on the Kinburn Spit in May 2024; SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk later said a Grad-equipped Sea Baby had first been used in December 2023.
Related Weapon Systems
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AQ-400 ScytheLong-range one-way strike UAVThe AQ-400 Scythe is a Ukrainian long-range one-way strike UAV developed by Terminal Autonomy for mass production and deep-strike missions. Its modular airframe, pusher-propeller layout, and visual/terrain-aided navigation are intended to provide Ukraine with a comparatively low-cost way to put a sizable payload hundreds of kilometers from the launch area under electronic-warfare pressure..jpg?width=480)
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This is BattleshipPublisher: UNITED24 | Note: Official Ukrainian government fundraiser describing Sea Baby as an SBU product and listing baseline Sea Baby dimensions, speed, range, payload, and unit price. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Ukraine's Security Service chief confirms Sea Baby drones have been equipped with Grad multiple rocket launchersPublisher: Ukrainska Pravda | Note: Directly supports Russia-Ukraine War combat use by reporting SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk's confirmation that Sea Baby USVs were fitted with Grad MLRS and first used in December 2023; also provides platform background and baseline performance figures. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Ukraine's Sea Baby Naval Drones Equipped with Rocket LaunchersPublisher: Marine Technology News | Note: Directly supports Russia-Ukraine War operational use by reporting that some SBU Sea Baby drones had been equipped with Grad launchers and used against Russian positions on the Kinburn Spit. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Ukraine's Sea Baby Maritime Drone (USV)Publisher: Covert Shores | Note: Open-source naval reference describing Sea Baby weapon options, including a six-rocket 122 mm Grad configuration, and summarizing platform specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Ukrainian marine dronesPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Open-license image of Ukrainian Sea Baby marine drones from the Security Service of Ukraine, licensed CC BY 4.0 with attribution to ssu.gov.ua. | Accessed: 2026-06-20