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The Marauder is Saronic’s largest autonomous surface vessel yet. | Source: Saronic
Saronic Technologies recently took a significant step forward in the realm of autonomous shipbuilding with its acquisition of Gulf Craft, a ship manufacturing company based in Louisiana. This strategic move is expected to bolster Saronic’s position in the growing market of autonomous vessels while simultaneously introducing its latest creation, the Marauder.
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Saronic emphasized that the new Gulf Craft shipyard is optimally situated on the Gulf Coast, which will serve as the main center for prototyping and manufacturing its medium uncrewed surface vessel (MUSV) fleet, beginning with the Marauder model.
The acquisition not only enhances Saronic’s production capabilities but also serves as a crucial foundational element of its expanding shipbuilding operations. The company has ambitious plans to invest over $2.5 billion in developing Port Alpha, a cutting-edge shipyard aimed at producing hundreds of uncrewed vessels annually and generating thousands of jobs in the process.
Earlier this year, Saronic raised $600 million, boosting its valuation to $4 billion, highlighting its potential in the market.
CEO Dino Mavrookas remarked, “This is a pivotal moment for Saronic as we venture deeper into autonomous shipbuilding, setting the stage for our goal of creating a next-generation shipyard at Port Alpha. We are proactive in meeting our customers’ needs and building the future they require.”
Mavrookas further noted that while Saronic actively seeks a permanent location for Port Alpha, the acquisition of Gulf Craft endows the company with the immediate capacity necessary to fulfill urgent requirements for larger autonomous vessels, along with the adaptability to cater to emerging defense and commercial applications.
Marauder joins Saronic autonomous fleet
The Marauder, a 150-foot (45.7 m) MUSV, is designed for a variety of missions, catering to the needs of the United States, its partners, and commercial clients. The vessel boasts an impressive payload capacity of up to 40 metric tons and has a range of 3,500 nautical miles, capable of operating for more than 30 days without human intervention. Saronic claims that the Marauder will offer a complete operational capability at a significantly lower cost compared to traditional manned vessels.
Configured to operate autonomously, the Marauder employs the same advanced autonomy technology that Saronic uses in its existing fleet of autonomous surface vessels. It embodies the company’s commitment to integrating a robust engineering philosophy with a strong domestic supplier network.
Other vessels in Saronic’s autonomous fleet include:
Spyglass: A compact 6-foot (1.8 m) vessel outfitted with sophisticated sensors and a flexible payload bay designed to enhance situational awareness and produce a variety of operational effects in contested environments. It is intended for tactical deployment, whether operating alone or in synergistic swarms, and can be launched and recovered from at-sea expeditionary crafts.
Cutlass: This 14-foot (4.2 m) vessel features extended communication capabilities and enhanced payload capacity, undertaking diverse tasks for the Joint Force. Its functions include deploying loitering munitions, establishing communication nodes within adaptable command and control networks, and recognizing, classifying, and tracking surface ships.
Corsair: Previously Saronic’s largest vessel at 24 feet (7.3 m), the Corsair is crafted to meet urgent operational demands for naval and maritime operations. It incorporates a modular architecture that allows for swift integration of various payloads and systems, while also possessing autonomous features to address threats effectively. The vessel is engineered for quick production scalability.
Gulf Craft has decades of shipbuilding experience
The acquisition of Gulf Craft significantly enhances Saronic’s capabilities, benefiting from over 60 years of expertise in delivering both traditional crewed vessels and uncrewed platforms designed for commercial and defense purposes. Saronic believes that this partnership provides the essential infrastructure and skilled workforce necessary to advance the development and production of its MUSVs today and into the future.
With the acquisition, Saronic adds nearly 100 acres (40.4 hectares) to its operational footprint, which will facilitate both immediate MUSV development and allow for substantial future expansion. The company plans to invest over $250 million directly into upgrading the shipyard’s facilities, aiming to adopt a first-principles approach to shipbuilding.
These enhancements will focus on modernizing existing infrastructure, acquiring cutting-edge machinery, and redesigning facilities to build a production system focused on efficiency, scalability, and quality. This evolution is expected to enable Saronic to manufacture up to 50 unmanned vessels annually.
Saronic has committed to retaining Gulf Craft’s seasoned workforce and anticipates the creation of over 500 new jobs within the next three to four years. The company aims to bring in skilled workers such as shipbuilders, welders, and electricians while also creating opportunities for engineers, technologists, and naval architects to develop and scale its MUSV production.
Mavrookas noted, “Louisiana holds a crucial position in the U.S. shipbuilding landscape, and this acquisition allows us to contribute to the rejuvenation of the industry in the region. The shipyard’s prime location and extensive expertise are well-aligned to support the rapid development, testing, and production of our first MUSV model, advancing our mission to supply the full range of ASVs required by the U.S. Navy’s hybrid fleet.”
Additionally, Saronic emphasized that its strategic growth efforts resonate with national initiatives to bolster the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base. The company’s investments in contemporary infrastructure, innovative production methodologies, and a highly skilled workforce represent a critical milestone toward closing the shipbuilding gap with competitors like China.
Source
www.therobotreport.com