Latest news with #Marauder
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Unmanned undersea vessels eyed by Pentagon as key part of Navy growth
As pressure rises on the U.S. Navy to boost its shipbuilding capacity, the Pentagon has released a call for a new type of undersea vessel called the Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform, or CAMP, an unmanned system built 'to maximize operational effectiveness in contested environments,' according to the solicitation released by the Defense Innovation Unit. This new class of remotely operated vessel aims to take the Navy's capacity for undersea warfare to the next level — maneuvering in GPS-denied environments at a range greater than 1,000 nautical miles and diving to more than 200 meters underwater during missions, one of which would include dropping 'various payloads to the sea floor.' Integrating AI technology into U.S. shipbuilding comes as part of a widespread effort to revitalize an industry described by the Government Accountability Office as lingering in a 'perpetual state of triage.' The nation's shipbuilding industry has been trailing far behind China and recently gave rise to concern about whether the U.S. would be able to replace disabled or sunken ships in a near-peer combat environment. The Navy plans to boost its number of battle force ships over the next three decades from 296 to 381 vessels. While the CAMP initiative is expected to be cost effective and 'minimize surface expression and duration,' it must also be designed for transport, deployment and recovery with 'commonly available commercial freight and transport equipment,' the solicitation stated. The CAMP document comes on the heels of recent undertakings by private industry to venture deeper into autonomous shipbuilding to address growing demand. HavocAI recently announced the upcoming launch of a 38-foot unmanned vessel known as the Seahound. Additionally, Saronic Technologies, an autonomous vessel startup company, announced its acquisition of Gulf Craft, a Louisiana-based shipbuilder, last week. The company retained the shipbuilder's current workforce and has stated that it aims to create over 500 jobs within the next three to four years. Saronic also announced the debut of a 150-foot autonomous surface vessel (ASV) called 'Marauder.' The vessel is designed to travel up to 3,500 nautical miles or loiter for over 30 days, according to a company release. In February, Saronic raised $600 million in funding to achieve its goal of building Port Alpha, a shipyard for autonomous vessels. And in March, the company announced a partnership with Palantir Technologies to enhance vessel software capabilities. 'By revitalizing our industrial base right here in Louisiana, we are taking a critical step toward building our own supply chains and countering foreign competitors like China,' said House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, according to the release. 'All of this is essential to our national security. We are grateful to Saronic for their commitment to this industry and our great state.'
Axios
17-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
Austin-based Saronic to build 150-foot drone boats
Austin-based defense startup Saronic purchased boatmaker Gulf Craft, securing it a Southern shipyard where it plans to produce a new unmanned warship, Marauder. Why it matters: President Trump has promised new ships "very fast, very soon" in a national address — and now an Austin firm is poised to play a big role. State of play: Last year, Saronic acquired a roughly 420,000-square-foot production and manufacturing facility in Austin to build autonomous vessels. Saronic's acquisition of Gulf Craft gives it 100 acres in Louisiana, at which it can construct larger vessels. Marauder will be 150 feet long — much larger than the 24-foot Corsair, its heftiest drone boat to date. What they're saying:"If we just say, 'Hey, we're going to go build ships the way they've always been built, and we're just going to recreate the workforce that existed 70 years ago,' we're not going to get there as a country," CEO Dino Mavrookas told Axios. "Our goal — our vision — is to have this product released within the next 12 months." He declined to share financial details of the Gulf Craft acquisition. The intrigue: Marauder is being developed "ahead of government contracting," according to Mavrookas. "We're investing private capital to build very, very quickly," he said. "We're not sitting around for three, four, five years waiting for requirements to be written." The vessel is expected to have a payload capacity of 40 metric tons and be able to travel up to 3,500 nautical miles. It has potential commercial applications, as well. Think port-to-port logistics and offshore resupply. Between the lines: Saronic counts among its investors Joe Lonsdale, the Austin billionaire venture capitalist who helped establish the Austin-based America PAC, through which his friend Elon Musk spent roughly $200 million to support Trump. What they're saying: Saronic's new project is a "critical step toward building our own supply chains and countering foreign competitors like China," House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told Axios in a statement.
