The US Navy is moving forward with plans to equip its special operations boats with loitering munitions, giving Navy SEAL teams organic precision-strike capability beyond the horizon. The Maritime Launched Effects – Increment 1 (MLE-1) program seeks to arm the Combatant Craft Medium (CCM) with suicide drones that can be launched and controlled from the commando boats themselves.

The Program

Naval Sea Systems Command issued a request for information in November 2024 on behalf of US Special Operations Command, asking industry for solutions to outfit the CCM with loitering munitions. The goal is to provide “combatant craft with an organic precision-strike mission package to engage targets over-the-horizon when conventional methods cannot be employed,” according to the RFI.

The Navy plans to procure 128 loitering munitions by 2032 for the first increment, with production targeted for Q3 FY29and deliveries planned for FY30-32. At least two additional increments are expected to follow once the initial system proves successful.

Requirements

The MLE-1 system must function as a beyond-line-of-sight missile system with several key capabilities:

• Man-on-the-loop flight controls (human oversight required, not fully autonomous)
• Multi-mode seeker for target acquisition
• Loitering capability to search for targets
• Scalable effects warhead and payload options that minimize collateral damage
• Full adaptation to the maritime environment

Testing with ALTIUS-700

The Naval Special Warfare Command has been testing Anduril’s ALTIUS-700 loitering munition during prototype development. The system has successfully launched from CCM boats in live demonstrations, helping to prove the concept’s viability.

The ALTIUS-700M variant carries a 33-pound warhead, has a range exceeding 100 miles, and can fly for more than an hour. During September 2023 trials at Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah, the weapon scored direct hits on mock SA-17 surface-to-air missile systems. Anduril reported the system was “accurate and effective against the chosen target set.”

The Platform

The Combatant Craft Medium is a 60-foot patrol boat built by Vigor Industrial and operated by Special Warfare Combatant Craft (SWCC) crewmen. The boat features:

• 4-person crew with space for 19 additional passengers
• Top speed exceeding 52 knots
• 600 nautical mile range at 40 knots
• Arms-resistant double aluminum hull
• Swappable weapons systems including remote weapon stations and crew-served weapons

The Navy has completed 30 of 35 planned CCM Mk1 boats at a cost of $11 million each. The service is now developing the CCM Mk2, which will incorporate the loitering munitions launcher as a key requirement.

Operational Context

SWCC boat teams operate the CCM primarily to infiltrate and exfiltrate Navy SEAL platoons in littoral environments. They also support Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) operations against enemy or suspect vessels at sea.

The project dates back to at least 2020, when special operators began exploring ways to add a launcher kit to the CCM. Early concepts displayed at the Special Operations Forces Week conference showed a multi-pod system with eight or more launch tubes.

The program was previously known as Maritime Precision Engagement (MPE) but has been renamed Maritime Launched Effects to better reflect its mission set.

Strategic Rationale

Loitering munitions have proven highly effective in Ukraine, where both sides rely extensively on suicide drones for tactical and strategic strikes. The technology offers precision strike capability at relatively low cost compared to traditional missiles.

For special operations, the ability to launch effects from a small, fast boat provides several advantages:

• Standoff engagement of targets beyond visual range
• Reduced risk to SEAL teams during infiltration and exfiltration
• Ability to prosecute time-sensitive targets without calling for external air support
• Enhanced mission flexibility in contested littoral environments

The launcher can potentially carry other payloads beyond strike munitions, including surveillance drones, electronic warfare pods, or sensor packages for intelligence collection.

Bottom Line

The MLE-1 program represents a significant capability upgrade for Naval Special Warfare. By pairing advanced loitering munitions with the CCM platform, the Navy is giving its most elite maritime operators organic precision-strike capability that can be deployed rapidly in denied or contested environments. With testing complete and industry responses evaluated, the program is on track to field operational systems before the end of the decade.