Defense-tech company Saronic announced on Wednesday that it has been awarded a production agreement under the U.S. Navy’s MUSV (medium unmanned surface vessel) marketplace for the Marauder, a 180-foot dual-use autonomous ship.
The agreement follows the Marauder’s at-sea testing. The trials included autonomous tracking and maneuvering around multiple vessels, as well as passive-perception tests requiring Marauder to detect, track, and follow other vessels using only its onboard passive sensors, with no active radar, according to Saronic.
Saronic has been awarded a production OT under the U.S. Navy’s MUSV Marketplace for Marauder, our 180-foot dual-use autonomous ship — following a rigorous at-sea evaluation that tested the vessel’s capabilities.
The trials included autonomously tracking and maneuvering around a… pic.twitter.com/L95jFk21Jf
— Saronic (@Saronic) September 29, 2026
The company said Marauder went from initial design to on-the-water in under a year.
The U.S. Navy launched the MUSV marketplace in March 2026 as a new acquisition approach focused on production-ready, mission-capable unmanned vessels. Companies were evaluated on their technical designs, business and manufacturing plans, and test plans before selected platforms proceeded to at-sea testing. The Navy plans to begin delivering MUSVs in fiscal 2027.