BETHESDA Md. – Lockheed Martin Corp. in Bethesda, Md., is staking-out territory in military uncrewed surface vessels (USV) applications with a $50 million investment in Saildrone Inc. in Alameda, Calif., which has been designing USVs since its founding in 2012.
This financial partnership will see Lockheed Martin and Saildrone deliver commercially available uncrewed surface vessels equipped with defense technologies. The companies will collaborate with a goal of delivering on-water live-fire demonstrations as early as next year.
Lockheed Martin will equip Saildrone uncrewed surface vessels with advanced defense technologies like missile launchers, anti-ship missiles, maritime surveillance, submarine detection, and command-and-control systems.
In one of the first joint projects, Lockheed Martin will integrate the company's AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) Quad Launcher onto the Saildrone Surveyor 65-foot uncrewed boat for anti-ship warfare operations.
Vertical-launch Tomahawk missiles
Larger Saildrone uncrewed vessels under development will accommodate the Lockheed Martin MK 70 Vertical Launch System (VLS) and extended-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Lockheed Martin also will integrate sensor payloads and thin-line towed sonar arrays aboard Saildrone USVs for enhanced anti-submarine warfare (ASW) detection and situational awareness.
The Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems division in Washington is expected to be the primary integrator for sensors and maritime weapons on the Saildrone Surveyor USV; this division routinely handles naval sensor, radar, weapons, and battle management integration for military surface ships and submarines.
The Surveyor's sensor package will include synthetic aperture radar, passive acoustics, advanced ocean and mapping sensors, with future support for additional surveillance and maritime domain awareness payloads.
Tell me more about hybrid wind and solar electric propulsion at sea ...
- Hybrid wind and solar electric propulsion at sea combines renewable energy sources to reduce reliance on fossil fuels for maritime vessels. Solar panels generate electricity by harnessing sunlight, while wind turbines capture wind energy. This electricity can power electric motors, assisting the vessel's movement or charging batteries for later use. By integrating these systems, vessels can operate more sustainably, lower fuel consumption, and reduce emissions. Hybrid systems are particularly effective for long voyages or in regions with consistent sunlight and wind. While they may not fully replace conventional engines, they contribute significantly to energy efficiency and environmental performance, making them an increasingly popular choice in eco-friendly maritime transport.
Saildrone offers three sizes of USVs -- the 23-foot Explorer for long-duration data collection, fisheries monitoring, meteorological and oceanographic research, and ecosystem monitoring; the 33-foot Voyager for maritime security, ocean mapping, and ocean surveillance; and the 65-foot Surveyor deep-ocean mapping, maritime domain awareness, national security, infrastructure security, and ASW.
These Saildrone unmanned vessels use wind, solar, and hybrid wind-and-electric-motor propulsion, and can remain at sea for as long as a year or more. They typically can sustain speeds as fast as five knots, depending on wind and solar conditions.
Saildrone uncrewed vessels are built to operate autonomously, withstand severe marine environments, and host cameras, oceanographic and meteorological sensors, military surveillance sensor payloads, and light weapons.
Planned enhancements include artificial intelligence (AI) for real-time detection and decision-making, and integration into mesh networks with other crewed and uncrewed maritime systems.
Missiles at sea
This partnership is the first time that Saildrone’s autonomous vessels will receive missiles and possible other weapons, which reflects a shift from purely scientific and surveillance roles to military engagement capabilities at sea.
Saildrone uncrewed surface vessels have traveled more than two million nautical miles and 50,000 days at sea as of mid-2025, with deployments from the Arctic to the Southern Ocean and hurricane zones.
For more information contact Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems online at www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/capabilities/maritime-systems.html, or Saildrone Inc. at www.saildrone.com/news/new-saildrone-surveyor-usv.
