Prototype warfare in the maritime domain: Opportunities and approaches
Think tank: RUSI
Author(s): Dr Sidharth Kaushal; John Louth
January 27, 2026
This report from UK think tank RUSI explores the transformative concept of prototype warfare in the maritime domain.
This research paper discusses the concept of maritime prototype warfare, emphasising its potential to address the Royal Navy’s strategic challenge of managing increasing demands with limited resources.
By advocating for operational and commercial innovation, a shift in defence capability development is proposed, where militaries act as active partners in the iterative refinement of immature systems rather than passive consumers of finished products.
The paper concludes that maintaining maritime advantage in an era of rapid technological change requires a fundamental shift in defence capability generation. By fostering a synergy between private innovation and state-supported scaling, the Royal Navy can build a future-ready, adaptable and resilient maritime force.
