Lockheed Martin will back a $50M program with Saildrone to integrate the company’s JAGM Quad Launcher onto the Surveyor USV, targeting completion in the first quarter of 2026 at Austal USA and a subsequent live sea demonstration. The retrofit marks the first offensive-weapon installation on a Saildrone platform, extending its missions beyond data collection and maritime surveillance. At 20 m (65 ft) long and weighing 15 tons (13,608 kg / 30,000 lb), the Surveyor is currently the largest unmanned autonomous surface vessel in operation and incorporates radar, optical sensors, AIS, and machine-learning systems for broad-area situational awareness.
The integration will also be the first sea-launched JAGM test; the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile—designed to replace the Hellfire—has been trialed recently with Lockheed’s four-canister modular Quad Launcher for multi-platform deployment. The project aligns with U.S. Navy aspirations for armed USVs capable of fleet protection, undersea monitoring, reconnaissance, and strike roles. Implementation will use an open-architecture approach with secure C2 to enable rapid, interoperable fielding.
Founded in 2013, Saildrone leverages wind, solar, and wave power to achieve long-endurance autonomous operations and has completed notable missions—Antarctic and Arctic voyages, a transatlantic crossing, and a year-long deployment without maintenance. The firm first demonstrated defense utility with the U.S. Coast Guard in 2020 and began supporting Navy Task Force 59 in 2021. Given rising geopolitical instability and more capable adversaries, Saildrone concluded that fitting the Surveyor with offensive weapons is needed to strengthen deterrence and deliver decisive strike effects.
