INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Marauder is Saronics largest autonomous surface vessel yet
| Source: SaronicSaronic Technologies last week announced the acquisition of Gulf Craft, a Louisiana-based shipbuilder, to accelerate its
growth into autonomous shipbuilding
The company also unveiled its latest autonomous surface vessel, or ASV, the Marauder.Austin, Texas-based Saronic said the acquisition will
give it a shipyard strategically located on the Gulf Coast
This shipyard will serve as the prototyping and production hub for its medium uncrewed surface vessel (MUSV) fleet, starting with the
Marauder.Saronic said Gulf Craft gives it production capacity and establishes a foundational pillar for its growing shipbuilding enterprise
As part of its long-term vision, the company intends to invest over $2.5 billion to develop Port Alpha — a shipyard that it claimed will
produce hundreds of uncrewed vessels annually and create thousands of new jobs.In February, Saronic raised $600 million, bringing its
valuation to $4 billion.“Today marks a significant milestone in Saronics expansion into autonomous shipbuilding and lays the foundation
for our vision of our larger, next-generation shipyard, Port Alpha,” stated Saronic CEO Dino Mavrookas
“We dont wait — we build for what our customers need, when they need it.”“While we actively search for a home for Port Alpha, this
acquisition gives us the immediate capacity to meet urgent customer needs for larger autonomous vessels and the flexibility to scale to
address emerging commercial and defense applications of these advanced systems,” he added.Register now so you don't miss out!Marauder
joins Saronic autonomous fleetMarauder is a 150-ft
(45.7 m) MUSV that Saronic designed to support a range of missions for the U.S., its allies, and commercial customers
It has a payload capacity of up to 40 metric tons and can travel up to 3,500 nautical miles or loiter for more than 30 days
The company claims the vessel will provide a comprehensive capability at a fraction of the cost of legacy manned solutions.Saronic said it
built Marauder to operate without any human crew
It integrates the same autonomy stack used in the companys existing family of ASVs
The vessel also incorporates the companys vertically integrated approach, disciplined engineering philosophy, and strong domestic supplier
network.Saronics other ASVs include:Spyglass: This is a 6-ft
(1.8 m) vessel equipped with advanced sensors and a configurable payload bay to enhance domain awareness and deliver diverse effects in
Saronic designed it for tactical deployment, alone or in collaborative swarms, via at-sea launch and recovery from expeditionary
craft.Cutlass: Saronic said this 14-ft
(4.2 m) vessel can transmit significant distances with increased payload capacity
It can perform various tasks for the Joint Force, including deploying loitering munitions; connecting communications nodes in adaptive C2
networks; and identifying, classifying, and tracking other surface craft.Corsair: Until now, Saronics largest vessel, the 24-ft
(7.3 m) Corsair, has aimed to satisfy highly urgent and impactful operational requirements for naval and maritime forces
It features an open modular architecture that enables rapid integration of diverse payloads, sensors and systems, according to the company
Corsair also includes autonomous capabilities to respond to or deter threats and can be rapidly produced at scale, it said.Gulf Craft has
decades of shipbuilding experienceGulf Craft brings more than 60 years of experience delivering traditional crewed ships and uncrewed
vessels for commercial and defense applications
Saronic said the acquisition provides it with the infrastructure and skilled workforce needed to develop, rapidly iterate, and scale
production of Saronics MUSVs today and into the future.The acquisition adds nearly 100 acres (40.4 hectares) to Saronics footprint
This will support both immediate MUSV development and production, as well as capacity for significant expansion, the company said.In
addition, Saronic said it plans to invest more than $250 million directly into the shipyard, including facility upgrades that will enable it
to “apply a first-principles approach to shipbuilding.”This includes modernizing infrastructure; acquiring new machinery; and updating
the facilities while focusing on building a production system engineered for speed, scalability, and quality
These upgrades will support a rapid capacity ramp-up, enabling Saronic to deliver up to 50 unmanned ships per year, it said.Saronic has
retained Gulf Crafts experienced workforce and expects to create more than 500 new jobs over the next three to four years
In addition to bringing on skilled shipbuilders, welders, and electricians, the company asserted that it will create new roles for
engineers, technologists, and naval architects to develop and scale production of its MUSVs.“Louisiana plays a vital role in the U.S
shipbuilding industry, and with this acquisition, we are excited to be a part of the regions continued industry revitalization,”
“The shipyards location, deep expertise, and turnkey facilities are ideally suited to allow Saronic to expeditiously develop, test, and
produce its first MUSV model and advance our mission to deliver the full range of ASVs needed to support the U.S
Navys hybrid fleet.”Saronic noted that its strategic expansion aligns with national efforts to revitalize the U.S
shipbuilding industrial base
It said its investment in next-generation infrastructure, advanced production models, and a skilled workforce mark a meaningful step toward
narrowing the shipbuilding gap with China.The post Saronic unveils autonomous vessel and acquires Gulf Craft to boost production appeared
first on The Robot Report.
