Euronaval 2026: Blue Ops provide details on B-series USVs

Blue Ops B-26 USV at Euronaval 2026. (Janes/Neil Dee)

Blue Ops, a division of Red Cat Holdings, outlined details of their B-series USVs at the Euronaval 2026 exhibition, held in Paris from 3-6 November.

Speaking to Janes on 3 November, Barry Hinckley, president of Blue Ops, discussed the company's B-26, B-18, and B-39 USVs. Blue Ops' first offering, the B-26, is a 7.8 m (26 ft) USV that can carry a payload of 816 kg (1,800 pounds). The B-26 has been recently renamed from Variant 7 to reflect the US use of feet and inches, Hinckley said. B-26 is “not only in full rate production, but we're in sales with a significant and growing pipeline”, Hinckley said, confirming that it has a US government customer for the type. B-26 has also participated in trials in Florida and North Carolina with the US Navy, he said.

Following experience with the B-26, the company developed the B-18 “because we saw an opening in the American market that was looking for a one-way attack, smaller vessel.” B-18 is a 5.5 m (18 ft) USV and can be deployed from ships, Hinckley said. Designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates, the B-18 can survive in up to sea state 5. B-26 has a top speed of over 45 kt and can carry a payload of 453 kg (1,000 pounds). Potential roles include littoral operations, one-way-attack, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). B-18 is in a mid-rate stage of production he added, “we're building a couple a week now”, with full-rate production expected around the first quarter of 2027. Hinckley added that the B-18 is not yet in full rate production “because we're building so many of the 26s.”