Stormborn X-Wave 01

History

The Stormborn X-Wave 01 is a modular uncrewed surface vessel developed for patrol, monitoring, survey and maritime surveillance missions. Stormborn introduced the vessel in 2026 as its first commercial craft, with manufacturing carried out at the company's facilities in Denmark.

The vessel combines long-duration autonomous operation with a configurable sensor and payload architecture. Its equipment can include radar, passive acoustic monitoring, electro-optical and infrared sensors, radio-frequency detection equipment and systems intended to support counter-uncrewed-aircraft missions.

The X-Wave 01 was designed as a lightweight, road-transportable platform that can be reconfigured for commercial, scientific, security and defence applications. A March 2026 Baird Maritime review described Stormborn as a UK-based autonomous marine surveillance company and listed the vessel's designer and builder as Stormborn, UK/Denmark.

Development

Stormborn developed the X-Wave 01 with a modular construction that allows hull segments, sensors and other equipment to be changed according to mission requirements. The design was intended to combine mission endurance, payload capacity and operational flexibility while remaining light enough for transport by road.

The vessel was built with redundant systems so that it can continue collecting data if some primary systems fail. Stormborn also developed a cloud-based control and data system that provides live sensor feeds, intelligent control and client-specific access. The architecture is intended to support simultaneous operation of multiple X-Wave vessels for distributed patrol or survey missions.

The craft was built to commercial classification-society standards for applications including offshore energy work and scientific research. Its sensor configuration can also be adapted for security and defence missions.

Design

Hull and mission configuration

The X-Wave 01 uses a lightweight modular structure. Stormborn states that hull sections and mission equipment can be exchanged to shorten turnaround between deployments. The vessel is road transportable, allowing it to be moved between operating areas without relying solely on maritime transit.

The platform is intended for sustained patrol and survey missions in a broad range of sea conditions. Stormborn states that its systems can provide continuous autonomous domain awareness for up to 365 days.

Sensors and data systems

A Terma radar provides surface situational awareness and can be integrated with existing coastal radar networks. This arrangement is intended to extend surveillance coverage beyond the normal line of sight of fixed coastal sensors.

Teledyne Marine supplies a passive acoustic monitoring array for detection and monitoring of underwater activity. Other equipment that can be fitted includes electro-optical and infrared sensors and Automatic Identification System equipment.

The vessel can also carry a MyDefence counter-uncrewed-aircraft system. During the June 2026 Bornholm encounter, Stormborn reported that the vessel detected a nearby Russian quadcopter through radio-frequency sensors.

Sensor data can be transmitted in real time through Stormborn's cloud-based system. The vessel can also carry winches, a subsea gondola and an autonomous launch-and-recovery system for smaller uncrewed vehicles.

Propulsion

The X-Wave 01 uses propeller propulsion. The available sources do not provide engine type, power output, speed, displacement or dimensional data.

Operational history

On June 25, 2026, an X-Wave 01 was anchored approximately 30 kilometers southeast of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea while testing radar and sonar equipment. The vessel was positioned in an area that Stormborn said had limited Danish coastal radar coverage.

During the test, the Russian Project 20380 Steregushchiy-class corvette Soobrazitelny approached the vessel and reportedly passed at a distance of about 200 meters with its Automatic Identification System transponder switched off. The corvette subsequently launched a small quadcopter that circled the X-Wave 01 for several minutes.

Stormborn stated that the vessel tracked the corvette using radar, electro-optical and infrared cameras and detected the quadcopter through radio-frequency sensors. The company's artificial intelligence system was also reported to have identified the corvette's hull number and objects visible on its deck.

Stormborn transferred radar logs, sensor data and video from the encounter to the Royal Danish Navy's maritime surveillance service. Reporting and footage from the event were later described by Defence Blog.

Specifications (X-Wave 01)

General characteristics

• Type: Uncrewed surface vessel for patrol and survey missions
• Owner: Stormborn
• Designer: Stormborn, UK/Denmark
• Builder: Stormborn, UK/Denmark
• Propulsion: Propellers
• Transport: Road transportable
• Construction: Modular hull and equipment configuration
• Autonomous mission capability: Stormborn states up to 365 days of continuous autonomous domain awareness

Mission systems

• Radar: Terma radar
• Underwater monitoring: Teledyne Marine passive acoustic monitoring array
• Counter-UAS equipment: MyDefence system
• Optional sensors: Electro-optical and infrared sensors and Automatic Identification System equipment
• Data system: Stormborn cloud-based control and real-time data transfer system
• Other equipment: Winches, subsea gondola and autonomous launch-and-recovery system for smaller uncrewed vehicles