The US Department of the Navy has advanced seven companies to the at-sea testing phase for its Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) Family of Systems programme.
According to a statement from the department, Sea Machines, Leidos, Saronic Technologies, Galliano Marine Services, PacMar Technologies, Birdon, and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) will each submit their entries for upcoming trials.
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Prototypes from these firms are scheduled to begin at-sea tests next month, with the process set to run through to October 2026.
Companies whose vessels successfully complete the trials will each receive $15m and become eligible for subsequent production contracts, the Navy said.
The MUSV programme is expected to create new avenues for smaller or non-traditional shipyards to contribute to future naval fleet construction. It aims to accelerate the deployment of uncrewed systems by using established commercial maritime solutions.
Recent details published in the US Navy’s Shipbuilding Plan point to a significant expansion in the MUSV segment.
Output of these vessels is set to double between 2027 and 2031, with the fleet growing from 39 MUSVs in 2027 to 83 by 2031.
The MUSVs is projected to make up 10% of the combined US naval vessel force by 2027, rising to over 18% by the end of the projection period.
The Navy Secretary John C. Phelan stated these uncrewed vessels would undertake roles from anti-submarine warfare to convoy escort, describing them as “the strategic laydown trucks of the fleet.”
Budget documentation for fiscal year 2027 earmarks $171m for the procurement of three MUSVs, and a total of $3.1bn over five years for 47 vessels.
Each MUSV is expected to measure approximately 195ft in length and have a displacement of around 500 tonnes.
The vessels are designed to operate alongside crewed command ships, functioning together in formation.
Against this backdrop of accelerating Navy interest in uncrewed surface vessels, Saronic has launched its first Marauder MUSV, an autonomous, dual-use platform designed for both defence and commercial missions far from shore.
Built for sustained long-range operations, Marauder can exceed 25 knots, travel up to 5,400 nautical miles, and carry up to 150 metric tons of configurable payload, including up to four 40-foot or eight 20-foot ISO containers.
