Saildrone's unmanned surface vessel (USV) has launched two joint air-to-ground missiles (JAGM) during a live-fire demonstration off Hawaii as part of RIMPAC 2026.
The demonstration was conducted in coordination with the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) Carrier Strike Group and used the US Navy’s adjunct remote engagement system (ARES), a remotely operated combat system.
The Saildrone Surveyor received and acted on target data for a surrogate high-speed surface craft, demonstrating its ability to integrate with existing navy combat systems.
The capability was developed from concept to demonstration in just six months, highlighting the potential to rapidly integrate proven technologies onto commercial USVs.
The multi-domain event also included a passive electronic warfare (EW) demonstration. The Saildrone Surveyor detected, classified and identified a surrogate threat radar system while operating in conjunction with an MH-60S helicopter. The live-fire demonstration was conducted near Hawaii under the sponsorship of the US Navy Fleet Experimentation Program (FLEX) during RIMPAC 2026.
The demonstration is part of a broader effort to integrate combat systems with commercial unmanned surface vessels. It is the first in a series of planned tests involving Saildrone platforms and US Navy combat systems.
Future demonstrations are expected to include the larger Saildrone Spectre-class platform, which is designed to accommodate containerized payloads such as the Lockheed Martin Mk 70 launcher and SURTASS towed array.
The companies said the effort is intended to accelerate the integration of unmanned and autonomous technologies for naval applications. Saildrone has operated USVs for maritime missions since 2013, while JAGM is equipped with a dual-mode semi-active laser (SAL) and millimeter-wave (MMW) seeker designed to support all-weather precision engagement across multiple domains.
“Lockheed Martin and Saildrone are leading the way to leverage the strength of industry to deliver autonomous platforms with containerized capabilities for our national defense. We will continue to invest in new capabilities ahead of need to accelerate and de-risk deployment of urgently needed defense technologies," said Paul Lemmo, Vice President and General Manager, Sensors, Effectors and Mission Systems, Lockheed Martin.
“This successful live fire demonstration was the result of pairing one of the most tried and trusted munitions with the most operationally deployed class of USV on the planet,” stated Richard Jenkins, Saildrone’s founder and CEO.
“Not only does this deliver mission-ready, kinetic USV capability today, but it also de-risks and accelerates our journey of fitting more sophisticated kinetic capabilities, like the Mk70 launcher, to our larger platform, the Saildrone Spectre."