Accelerate Defense Modernization through Strategic Sourcing
Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
Unmanned surface vehicle technology achieved a key milestone during the Rim of the Pacific exercise when a Saildrone Surveyor executed two Joint Air-to-Ground Missile launches.
Conducted off the coast of Hawaii under the sponsorship of the US Navy Fleet Experimentation Program, the operation marked the first missile launch from a Saildrone platform. Operating in coordination with the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, the vessel relied on the Navy’s Adjunct Remote Engagement System to act on target data for a surrogate high-speed surface craft.
The live-fire exercise builds on six months of joint development between Saildrone and Lockheed Martin, following a strategic partnership established in October 2025. Beyond the kinetic demonstration, the 20-meter Surveyor equipped a passive electronic warfare sensor that successfully detected, classified, and identified a surrogate threat radar system alongside an MH-60 aircraft.
“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,” said Richard Jenkins, Saildrone 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. Saildrone will continue to develop our platform capabilities to meet the rapidly evolving operational requirements of our customers.”
“Lockheed Martin and Saildrone are leading the way to act differently and leverage the strength of the entire industry 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 at Lockheed Martin.
The Saildrone Surveyor is engineered for persistent long-dwell deployments in harsh environments, supporting intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and deep-ocean mapping. Alongside its newly integrated JAGM dual launcher, the platform incorporates radar, electro-optical/infrared sensors, machine-learning detection, passive acoustics, and automatic identification systems to maintain situational awareness.
This initial integration paves the way for advanced payloads on Saildrone’s upcoming 52-meter vessel, the Saildrone Spectre. Designed to weigh 300 tonnes at full payload with speeds up to 30 knots, the Spectre features a concealed payload deck holding up to five 20-foot or two 40-foot containers. Offered with or without a patented Saildrone Wing for either low-profile acoustic missions or high-speed strikes, future Spectre configurations are planned to carry Lockheed Martin Mk 70 launchers and anti-submarine warfare towed arrays.
