Contract awardedFramework call-offShipbuilding

Project Beehive – USV (Unmanned Surface Vessel) and GCS (Ground Control System) Procurement

Ministry of Defence
London
Selective procedure
23 March 2026 to 31 March 2027

Provision of 20 uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) featuring open architecture to support spiral development, training, and tactical warfare testing. The platforms must meet TRL 4/5 standards and include engineering support for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) integration of future capabilities. The project serves as a test bed for hybrid naval technology, requiring high-level technical integration and operational flexibility.

Open the official notice

Awarded value: £10.3m; As published
Published: 5 November 2025
Awarded: 5 March 2026; kraken Works Ltd
Contract length: 12 months; Ends 31 March 2027

What the contract covers

Goods procurement with engineering support considered

Design, development, and supply of uncrewed surface vessels and ground control systems for maritime training and operational testing environments.

Provide a fleet of 20 Uncrewed Surface Vessels for SURFLOT
Provide initial platforms at TRL 4/5 with open architecture for future development
Support use of the USV fleet for training, tactic development, warfare development, capability development and operations in the UK Area of Responsibility and beyond
Provide platforms that act as test beds for development and testing of new technologies
Engineering support for OEM integration of spiral capabilities is considered as part of the bid process

Terms and requirements

Contract type: Goods procurement with engineering support considered
Procedure: Selective procedure
Initial term: 13 months
Contract dates: 23 March 2026 to 31 March 2027
Certifications asked for: None stated
Lots: 1
Suitable for SMEs: Yes
Suitable for charities and social enterprises: Yes
Category: Goods
CPV codes: 34521000, 73423000, 35400000, 35511400

Services in this contract

Vessel supply and shipbuildingMain service£627k typicalPurchase of a fleet of 20 uncrewed surface vessels for the Royal Navy

Lifecycle

Published
5 November 2025
Contract awardedto kraken Works Ltd
5 March 2026
Contract starts
23 March 2026
Contract ends
31 March 2027

The buyer

Ministry of Defence

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The supplier

kraken Works Ltd

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Cite this contract

Link: https://bidskim.com/tender/333152/project-beehive-usv-unmanned-surface-vessel-and-gcs-ground-control-system-procur
Buyer reference: 1
Open contracting ID: ocds-h6vhtk-05db5c
Last checked: 5 November 2026

Ministry of Defence. Project Beehive – USV (Unmanned Surface Vessel) and GCS (Ground Control System) Procurement. Contract award, 5 November 2025. BidSkim, https://bidskim.com/tender/333152/project-beehive-usv-unmanned-surface-vessel-and-gcs-ground-control-system-procur (accessed 5 November 2026).