Uncrewed warships require costly control and survivability engineering

How much does it cost to design an uncrewed vessel that a yard can build for military service?

A serious combat design could cost hundreds of millions or more because remote control, redundancy, weapons, and survivability must all meet military standards.

The price depends on mission complexity, but a combat vessel without an onboard crew needs redundant communications, remote monitoring, automated control, and military-grade survivability. Those systems must be integrated with weapons and tested beyond experimental standards. Eliminating accommodation does not eliminate the engineering needed to detect faults, isolate damage, and retain command. A credible design effort could cost hundreds of millions or even billions rather than resembling a cheap commercial boat conversion.