BETHESDA, Md. - Lockheed Martin and Saildrone launched two Joint-Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM) from a Saildrone Surveyor uncrewed surface vessel (USV) during the U.S. Navy's Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise off Hawaii, demonstrating the integration of a commercially developed autonomous maritime platform with a Navy remotely operated combat system.
Saildrone, based in Alameda, Calif., says the demonstration was the first missile launch from one of its USVs. The Surveyor was equipped with a Lockheed Martin JAGM Dual Launcher and the Navy's Adjunct Remote Engagement System (ARES), a remotely operated combat system. In coordination with the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) Carrier Strike Group, the Surveyor acted on target data for a surrogate high-speed surface craft.
RIMPAC demo details
The live-fire demonstration was conducted under the sponsorship of the Navy Fleet Experimentation Program (FLEX). Lockheed Martin and Saildrone said the effort went from concept to demonstration in six months as part of joint development that began after the companies established a strategic partnership in October 2025.
The RIMPAC exercise also provided a demonstration of a passive electronic-warfare capability aboard the Surveyor. The system detected, classified, and identified a surrogate threat radar in conjunction with an MH-60 aircraft. The companies did not disclose the specific EW sensor, its frequency coverage, or how they processed and distributed the resulting data.
Related: Lockheed Martin and Saildrone collaborate on uncrewed surface vessels with maritime weapons
The demonstrations illustrate an effort to integrate military sensors, command-and-control systems, and effectors with a commercially developed autonomous maritime platform. Saildrone has operated USVs since 2013 for missions including persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, deep-ocean mapping and other long-endurance maritime operations.
The companies are planning additional integrations involving the larger Saildrone Spectre USV. At 52 meters (170 feet) long, the Spectre is designed to accommodate larger containerized mission payloads than the Surveyor. Planned capabilities include integration of the Lockheed Martin Mk 70 launcher and towed arrays for anti-submarine warfare missions.
The Spectre integrations are part of the companies' broader effort to apply Lockheed Martin defense systems to Saildrone's USV platforms. Saildrone announced the Spectre in April and said the first vessel is under construction, with sea trials planned for early 2027.
The RIMPAC demonstration provides a live-fire example of integrating an autonomous commercial USV with a military launcher and remotely operated fire-control system, while the accompanying EW demonstration shows the platform's potential to combine sensing and kinetic capabilities in a distributed maritime architecture.
