Saronic Expands Beyond Autonomous Ships With U.S. Navy Landing Craft Deal
Saronic Technologies is expanding beyond autonomous vessels and into traditional naval shipbuilding after the U.S. Navy selected the defense technology company to build Landing Craft Utility vessels under a firm fixed-price agreement structured through an Other Transaction Authority.
The award covers multiple LCUs and will mark the first construction project at Saronic’s planned Port Alpha shipyard in Brownsville, Texas, according to a post from the company.
The Navy deal gives Saronic one of its first major projects for Port Alpha, the Brownsville shipyard it plans to open in 2028. Saronic unveiled plans for Port Alpha in July, saying the shipyard will initially support vessels of up to 850 feet, with the potential to eventually build ships as long as 1,200 feet.
Port Alpha is designed to produce both crewed and autonomous vessels. Saronic has said the facility could eventually create up to 10,000 jobs and incorporate robotics, software and advanced manufacturing alongside traditional shipbuilding skills.
The LCU contract puts that strategy into practice. LCUs are designed to transport personnel, vehicles and supplies from ships offshore to beaches and other shorelines without port infrastructure. Saronic said its LCU design can carry up to 170 tons and has an operating range of about 1,200 nautical miles.
Navy Deal Tests Saronic’s Expansion
The Navy is seeking additional capacity for these vessels as older landing craft are phased out, according to Saronic.
"This award reflects the kind of partnership we set out to build with the Navy, where speed, cost discipline, and a modern industrial base reinforce each other," Saronic co-founder and CEO Dino Mavrookas said.
The project also represents a shift for Saronic, which has built its business around unmanned surface vessels. The company operates a manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas, where it produces its 24-foot Corsair autonomous surface vessel.
Saronic said it has built more than 400 Corsairs and previously received a production Other Transaction award valued at more than $400 million for the platform. Its 180-foot Marauder autonomous vessel also reached the water less than a year after design work began, according to the company.
The contract comes as the U.S. defense industry faces pressure to expand domestic shipbuilding capacity while integrating autonomous systems, robotics and software into military platforms.
The company has framed Port Alpha as a way to bring that technology-driven approach to larger, crewed vessels. Mavrookas previously said Saronic intends to incorporate technology developed for autonomous ships into its crewed platforms, with the possibility of reducing the number of personnel required aboard them over time.
Saronic expects to begin building LCUs at Port Alpha in 2028, with initial deliveries planned for 2029.
Photo courtesy of Saronic’s Press Kit