The year 2025 will be remembered as one of accelerating technological evolution and mounting geopolitical strain in the maritime domain. As the curtain rises on 2026, the stage is set for further
The year 2025 will be remembered as one of accelerating technological evolution and mounting geopolitical strain in the maritime domain. As the curtain rises on 2026, the stage is set for further disruption driven by advanced technologies, evolving undersea threats, and contested maritime spaces. From the North Atlantic to the Persian Gulf, from seabed imaging to surface surveillance, marine technology is increasingly central to securing access, protecting infrastructure, and managing escalation at sea. While the precise trajectory of these developments remains uncertain, six areas are likely to shape subsea defense in the year ahead.
Port and Harbor Security
On December 15, 2025, Russia’s Novorossiysk Naval Base was rocked by a powerful underwater explosion. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) subsequently claimed to have struck a Russian Kilo-class submarine berthed inside the harbor using a previously unrevealed UUV, "Sub Sea Baby." If accurate, the incident marked the first known use of a UUV to conduct an attack inside a defended naval port. Beyond its impact on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, the strike exposed the vulnerability of well-protected, high-value harbors to uncrewed systems, and highlighted the ongoing convergence of mines, torpedoes, and UUVs. As a result, 2026 may see heightened interest in port and
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