Defense giant Lockheed Martin has made a $50 million investment in Saildrone to integrate defense systems into the firm’s unmanned surface vessels (USVs) for use by the U.S. Navy.
As disclosed, the commercial relationship will combine Lockheed Martin’s defense payloads with Saildrone’s long-endurance USV platform. The work will equip Saildrone vessels with “all-domain defense technology for lethal military applications,” Richard Jenkins , founder and CEO of Saildrone, stated.
Saildrone, which began operating transoceanic autonomous sail-powered vehicles in the 2010s and later expanded into meteorological and oceanographic roles for partners including the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said the design for a larger vessel is “highly evolved” and that construction is scheduled to begin at Austal USA in the first quarter of 2026. The company added that it would not be sharing vessel details publicly.
The move underscores growing industry interest in armed and armed-capable unmanned surface platforms, an area of increasing focus for navies that are seeking persistent surveillance and strike options while limiting crewed ship exposure.
Saildrone worked with Task Force 59 beginning in 2021 and has carried out long-duration missions in challenging environments.