The companies completed the working prototype in less than seven months. That included sea trials to assess the radar’s performance in maritime conditions.
Autonomous vessel carries Giraffe 1X radar
The K3 Scout can operate entirely autonomously, either on its own or alongside conventional ships. Its low-signature design supports deployment as part of a fleet combining crewed and uncrewed vessels.
Giraffe 1X is a lightweight, three-dimensional radar designed to detect and track airborne threats in real time. On the K3 Scout, it is expected to detect small airborne targets at significant range and alert operators to potential drone incursions.
Saab and Kraken see possible applications in protecting ships, ports, offshore energy facilities and national infrastructure. The system remains experimental and is designed to provide detection and early warning.
“This is a pioneering, UK manufactured, deployable capability, that together with Kraken we’ve developed in less than seven months,” said Andy Fraser, managing director of Saab UK. “This reflects the strength of our partnership, the maturity and flexibility of our respective technologies, and our ability to respond at pace to the evolving threat landscape and needs of our customers.”
Mal Crease, chief executive and founder of Kraken Technology Group, said the project demonstrated the platform’s intended role. “Kraken and Saab UK’s prototype “drone seeker” vessel is exactly what the K3 SCOUT was designed to do: integrate with mission-relevant payloads to then operate in austere maritime environments.”
The integration supports the hybrid navy concept outlined in the UK Government’s Defence Investment Plan. That approach envisages autonomous vessels operating alongside conventional naval assets.
Adapting radar technology to the drone threat
The project illustrates why Saab is regarded as one of Europe’s innovative defence manufacturers: it applies established technology to new operational problems. The pace of development also shows how cooperation with a platform specialist can shorten the path from concept to sea trials.
Russia’s war against Ukraine has sharpened the requirement to detect and track small drones. The Armed Forces of Ukraine operate multiple Saab weapon systems, providing experience of how the company’s equipment performs under wartime conditions.
Saab’s radar expertise, including systems used in ground-based air defence, gives it a strong foundation for addressing that requirement. Giraffe 1X’s ability to detect and track uncrewed aircraft helps explain international interest in the system.
The Kraken partnership brings that capability to an autonomous maritime platform. Its potential lies in providing early warning around ships and infrastructure, while the prototype remains subject to experimental assessment.
