AwardedAwarded 5 March 2026
Project Beehive – USV (Unmanned Surface Vessel) and GCS (Ground Control System) Procurement
Ministry of Defence · Central government
In brief
Ministry of Defence awarded research work to kraken Works Ltd on 5 March 2026.
The notice gives a value of £10,250,000 excluding VAT.
The contract runs for 13 months, starting 16 February 2026.
The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.
Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.
What the notice says
The Royal Navy requires A fleet of 20 Uncrewed Surface Vessel orUSVs for SURFLOT, these platforms will be utilised for training, Tactic Development, Warfare Development, Capability Development, and operations in the UK Are of Responsibility and beyond. This project is to be a spiral development, with the initial platform requirement of USV’s to be TRL 4/5, with open architecture for future development, this capability is key to maintaining operational relevance against peer threats. The Hybrid Navy transition will require development and testing of new technologies and whilst much of this work will be conducted by Navy Development, Disruptive capabilities, and technology officer, the SURFLOT Fleet of USVs will act as test beds to provide Learning from experience. Engineering support for OEM integration of spiral capabilities will be considered as part of the bid process. Works of this Project will have a focus on the South, South west regions.
Who won
| Winner | Value | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| kraken Works Ltd 12 bids received | £10,250,000 | Awarded 5 March 2026 |
Values as the award notice gives them, excluding VAT where stated.
Timeline
- Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 071410-2025
- Tender notice · UK4, notice 082960-2025
- Contract award notice · UK6, notice 021405-2026
About the buyer
Ministry of DefenceLast 12 months
Procurements
604Awards
340Suppliers it has used most for research
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From notice 071410-2025 on Find a Tender, first published 5 November 2025, last updated 10 March 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.