# Elbit Systems proposes turnkey kit to convert merchant ships into drone carriers

_Wednesday, July 22, 2026 at 12:02 AM EDT · Robotics, Power · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

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Elbit Systems has unveiled a concept to convert standard commercial merchant ships into modular carriers that can launch and retrieve its Hermes 650 Spark fixed-wing unmanned aircraft, New Atlas reported.

The Israeli defense firm describes a turnkey package that would turn commercial vessels into drone hubs able to manage nine to 12 Hermes 650 Spark platforms. The aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,433 lb (650 kg) and uses a front-mounted engine that, according to the report, provides high power margins and a wide speed envelope for short takeoff and landing performance from a ship deck.

Unlike historical escort carriers, which housed extensive command facilities, the modern concept relies on advanced satellite communications so the aircraft would be controlled from a shore-based ground station rather than a large shipboard command-and-control center. New Atlas framed the idea against World War II escort carriers, when commercial cargo ships and tankers were converted with flight decks to protect convoys, and against a broader military shift toward hybrid conventional and unmanned forces that may need to deploy fixed-wing drones in large numbers.

## Sources

- [New Atlas](https://newatlas.com/military/turnkey-kit-converts-commercial-ships-into-drone-carriers/)

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Retrieved: 2026-07-22T07:06:27.768Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)