Capable of both crewed and uncrewed operation, the Bengal MC disrupts the naval defense market by offering superior performance at lower costs. 

Developed by Eureka Naval Craft, the AIRCAT Bengal MC is the newest groundbreaking innovation built to fight—and win—America’s next war. Unveiled in early 2025, the Bengal MC combines high-speed capabilities, modular design, and advanced artificial intelligence (AI) autonomy to address the challenges of contested littoral environments. 

As navies worldwide seek more efficient, lethal, and cost-effective solutions, the AIRCAT Bengal MC emerges as a game-changer, blending the agility of a surface effect ship (SES) with the firepower of traditional warships. 

The Bengal MC Is Lightning-Fast—and Deadly

At the heart of the AIRCAT Bengal MC is its SES design, which integrates an air cushion system with twin hulls, similar to a hybrid of a hovercraft and a catamaran. This technology, pioneered by ESNA Naval Architects in Norway and adapted for military use by Eureka Naval Craft, allows the vessel to glide over water with reduced friction, achieving remarkable efficiency and speed. The Bengal boasts a sleek, modular structure that supports rapid reconfiguration for diverse missions. 

The vessel’s autonomy, powered by AI software from Greenroom Robotics, enables both manned and unmanned operations. This is a smart move, since the most efficient forms of drone-related combat in the future will involve manned-unmanned teams (MUM-T). The Bengal can carry a crew of five to seven people, but can transition seamlessly to remote or fully autonomous modes, too—reducing human risk in high-threat scenarios. 

The boat’s aft deck accommodates up to 40 tons of payload, including two 40-foot or four 20-foot ISO containers for weapons or other mission modules. Its propulsion and defensive systems are modular as well, making maintenance and upgrades easy and cheap compared to conventional US Navy craft. Fuel efficiency on the Bengal is another remarkable feature; the SES design minimizes drag, allowing the ship to achieve a cruising speed of around 44 miles per hour over a 1,151-mile range, with maximum speeds reaching to around 53-58 mph (depending on load). This performance outpaces many traditional warships, providing a strategic edge in fast-response operations. 

Standard armament includes three 30mm remote weapon stations with individual radar coverage, complemented by a 360-degree four-dimensional hemispheric radar and full-spectrum optronics for comprehensive threat reduction. Optional enhancements add anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), drones, and multiple machine guns, transforming it into a formidable platform for surface, air, and underwater defense. One of the ship’s most revolutionary aspects is its ability to launch long-range cruise missiles like Tomahawks and anti-ship Naval Strike Missiles (NSM). This “force projection” capability allows smaller, autonomous vessels to deliver strikes traditionally reserved for larger ships. 

How the Bengal Democratizes Sea Power

Ever since the Napoleonic era, war has steadily undergone democratization—in which more and more people have been able to access military power at lower cost. Under Napoleon, a conscripted “citizen army” routed the knight-like mercenaries employed by the other powers of Europe—until these nations developed citizen armies of their own. In the 20th century, tools like the AK-47 made it possible for peasant armies to hold their own against superpowers in places like Vietnam and Afghanistan.

Today, humans are being removed from the battlefield almost entirely. The payload bays on the Bengals can house swarming loitering munitions, air defense systems, torpedoes, sea mines, or mine countermeasures, making this boat adaptable to the kind of asymmetric warfare that has come to define the modern battlefield. 

In terms of resilience, the Bengal MC is engineered for contested waters, with protections against drones and anti-ship missiles. It can operate from amphibious landing ships, conduct beach landings with self-recovery, and support electronic warfare or as a drone mothership. These features position it as a “monster” on the open seas—as described in recent reports—capable of overwhelming adversaries with speed and precision.

The multi-mission profile of the AIRCAT Bengal MC makes it ideal for a wide array of operations. Primary roles include patrol, interdiction, reconnaissance, and attack, but it extends to sea denial, logistics, medical evacuation, and infrastructure defense. In an era of increasing maritime tensions, such as in the South China Sea or the Middle East, its ability to perform high-risk tasks autonomously reduces crew exposure while maintaining operational tempo.

Recent developments underscore its growing relevance. In August of this year, Eureka Naval Craft signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a Singaporean shipbuilder to produce the Bengal MC, signaling international interest and potential for export. This partnership leverages Singapore’s shipbuilding expertise to scale production—potentially supplying allies like the United States Navy, which has shown great interest in autonomous vessels for distributed lethality.

Can the US Navy Embrace This Revolution Fast Enough? 

Economically, the Bengal MC disrupts the naval defense market by offering superior performance at lower costs. Its modular build reduces manufacturing expenses, and the SES technology cuts fuel consumption, allowing navies to allocate budgets more effectively. As Bo Jardine, CEO of Eureka Naval Craft, noted, it provides a “very fast alternative ship which is armed to the teeth,” without the overhead of crewed behemoths.

By integrating autonomy, modularity, and high-speed SES technology, AIRCAT Bengal MC is a paradigm shift in naval innovation. This new system addresses the key challenges of modern warfare: cost, risk, and adaptability. As global navies adopt unmanned systems, the Bengal MC’s 40-ton payload capacity, missile-launch prowess, and versatile missions will likely influence fleet compositions globally. 

AIRCAT Bengal MC is the first of what will undoubtedly be many such systems designed to fight and win the unmanned wars of the future.

The greater question is: can the United States recognize this unmanned trend and capitalize upon it before its enemies can?