A Swedish-Estonian shipbuilder has unveiled a new modular rigid inflatable boat (RIB) designed to give defense and security operators the ability to reconfigure missions in minutes.
XW Production, a startup operating across Sweden and Estonia, announced the launch of its XW Modular 750, an aluminum RIB platform tested by professional divers, border guards, and naval special operations forces. The company says the design allows rapid deck reconfiguration for diving operations, transport, surveillance, drone deployment, or interdiction missions.
“Modern naval and security forces require vessels that can shift roles as fast as the threats evolve,” said Jürgen Visnapuu, co-founder of XW Production. “The XW Modular 750 offers a flexible, rugged, and future-ready platform that reduces costs and increases mission agility.”
According to the company, the platform has already undergone two years of trials in the Baltic Sea and at Lake Peipus, where Estonian Eastern Border Guards face difficult operating conditions. The trials highlighted the vessel’s ability to maintain stability at moderate speeds and cut through rough seas. Its low tube design allows divers to enter and recover with minimal effort, while its buoyancy factor — 1.5 times its fully loaded displacement — is intended to ensure survivability in extreme conditions.
The company notes that these qualities are critical for naval units, border forces, and specialized military teams operating in contested waters.
XW Production is also preparing the platform for unmanned and autonomous missions. In collaboration with Tallinn University of Technology and technology partner MindChip, the company is working on autonomy modules that can be integrated directly into the existing manned platform.
“Instead of designing a separate USV, we embed autonomy as a module into an already proven manned platform,” said Niclas Kling, co-founder of XW Production and a naval architect with a background at the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration. “This reduces development risks and keeps interoperability high for end-users.”
Company officials said the approach allows the XW Modular 750 to transition from a manned craft into roles such as mine countermeasures, unmanned surveillance, or drone deployment.
XW Production plans to expand the platform into larger models and field-ready fleets.
With modularity as its defining feature, the company positions itself not just as a boatbuilder but as a defense technology provider. As a member of the Estonian Defence Industry Association, XW Production is integrated into Europe’s growing defense innovation ecosystem and has positioned itself to collaborate with international partners.