Exclusive: Saildrone is building a 170-foot unmanned sub-hunter
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A conceptual look at Spectre unmanned surface vessels, each configured differently. Photo: Courtesy of Saildrone
Saildrone on Monday unveiled Spectre, a 170-foot unmanned surface vessel the company says is optimized for anti-submarine warfare, far-flung surveillance and missile launches.
Why it matters: The design is the culmination of more than a decade of experience working alongside scientists, border agencies and militaries, according to CEO Richard Jenkins.
- "Arctic, Antarctic, High North, Southern Ocean, hurricanes — we did thousands of iterations to toughen our vehicles," he told Axios ahead of the Sea-Air-Space conference in Maryland.
The big picture: The drone-boat market is increasingly crowded. Standing out is difficult, and the demands of the U.S. Navy are ever-changing.
- Saildrone has been at work on Spectre for two years. It will be submitted to the service's medium unmanned surface vessel marketplace, according to Jenkins.
- "It's 100% compliant with the threshold and desired requirements, without modification," he said.
Follow the money: The unmanned warship will be built out of aluminum. Fincantieri in Wisconsin will handle construction, and has capacity for five per year. American Magic in Florida will build the 140-foot optional wing.
- Both the design and manufacture of the first boat, slated for sea trials in early 2027, are internally funded. Long-lead components have been secured. And a 1/7th-scale model has undergone testing in Denmark for months.
- "Our team is not traditional naval architects," Jenkins said. "It's a really unique hull design, because it's a hybrid between a sailboat and a powerboat."
By the numbers: Spectre is advertised as traveling 3,280 nautical miles on flat water while carrying roughly 55,000 pounds at 25 knots.
- The deck can be configured for different payloads, including 20- and 40-foot containers. Its maximum carry weight is pegged around 70 metric tons.
Zoom in: The ship is compatible with a range of Lockheed Martin and Thales equipment, including towed arrays, Mk 70 launchers and CAPTAS-4 variable-depth sonar systems.
- "Spectre represents a transformative step forward for naval surface warfare," Paul Lemmo, a Lockheed vice president and general manager, told Axios.
- The companies, he added, "look forward to demonstrating its power at upcoming on-water, live-fire demonstrations."
Flashback: Lockheed, the world's largest defense contractor by revenue, invested $50 million in Saildrone late last year.
What's next: Saildrone is also eyeing Spectre construction in Europe, where, according to Jenkins, the submarine threat feels "much closer to home."
- "They've been tracking Russian subs in and around offshore power infrastructure, oil and gas," he said.
- "Give the ASW things to the robots. It's the perfect use case."
Go deeper: Trump approves "Golden Fleet" of new ships and drone boats, Navy's Phelan tells Axios
