DIU SWAP-USV (Suitable Warfighting Adaptive Payloads — USV)
U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), with the U.S. Navy
About this opportunity
DIU prize challenge for uncrewed surface vessels that carry and launch at least two strike drones (kinetic hit plus battle-damage assessment), with ≥200 nm range and ≥10-knot cruise. Up to ~$300M across three sprints plus follow-on production.
SWAP-USV (project PROJ00687) is a 12-month, multi-sprint prize challenge run by the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit with the Navy, seeking production-ready USV-plus-drone bundles for maritime strike: a mature USV carrying at least two UAS able to strike (≥2 kg payload) and return battle-damage assessment, with ≥200 nm reach and ≥10-knot cruise. Sprint 1 closed 10 Aug 2026 ($40M), with Sprint 2 (fall 2026, $40M) and Sprint 3 (spring 2027, $20M) ahead, plus up to $200M in follow-on production OTAs. Awards target established manufacturers with active production lines; a Ukrainian company would realistically enter as a subsystem supplier (autonomy, drones, munitions) to a U.S. prime or through a U.S.-registered entity, since submissions require U.S.-based performance.
Eligibility
The solicitation is explicitly open to U.S. and international vendors — including standalone USV, UAS and payload providers — so a Ukrainian maker of maritime-strike systems can submit relatively directly. Scaled production and the follow-on OT awards still favour a U.S. nexus, so teaming with a U.S. prime or a U.S.-registered entity strengthens a bid; established production lines for the vessel and the drones are expected.
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Aggregated from open, public sources and collected here for Ukrainian defense & dual-use companies. Details can change — confirm the current terms on the program's own page.