The French Navy, colloquially “La Royale,” has tested a new sea drone, similar to Ukraine’s Magura V5, designed for kamikaze-style attacks, as part of its preparations for future naval battles.
In the video, published on social media on Monday, April 28, the reported Seaquest S drone hits an old French Navy barge called the Chaland de Transport de Matériel (CTM). The Navy protected the barge with car tires and metal sheets to keep it from sinking.
Inspired by Ukraine, France started its own sea drone project called Seaquest S in 2024. Other countries are doing the same. South Korea has replaced a large warship with a drone fleet, and Taiwan is building drones similar to Ukraine’s as well.
According to the Defense Express report, the test was part of a military training program called POLARIS, which started in 2021. It helps the French Navy prepare for major future battles, including possible threats from countries like Russia and China.
The Navy, cited by the publication, said one goal was to learn how to use kamikaze sea drones - unmanned boats that explode when they hit a target. These types of drones have been used by Ukraine in a war with Russia.
Even though France hasn’t shared many details, the drone tested looks and works a lot like Ukraine’s Magura V5. France has also been training to stop attacks from enemy drones at sea and in the air.
The Magura is a multi-purpose naval drone developed in Ukraine that has been widely used in attacks on the Russian Black Sea Fleet, mainly by ramming enemy ships loaded with explosives.
Earlier, Ukraine destroyed several Russian ships using Magura drones, including the Caesar Kunikov landing ship, the Sergey Kotov patrol ship, the Serna and Akula fast landing ships, and the Ivanovets Tarantula-class missile corvette.