180-Foot US Drone Ship To Conduct First-Ever Hypersonic Missile Launch From Unmanned Surface Vessel

Two U.S. defense technology companies, Saronic and Castelion, have announced plans to launch a hypersonic missile from an unmanned surface vessel.

Under the partnership, Castelion’s Blackbeard hypersonic system will be integrated with Saronic’s Marauder medium unmanned surface vessel (MUSV). The companies are targeting an at-sea demonstration in 2027.

The project aims to combine autonomous maritime technology with hypersonic strike capability, giving military commanders additional options for future naval operations.

According to the companies, deploying hypersonic weapons from unmanned vessels could increase the number of available launch platforms while reducing reliance on crewed ships.

Saronic co-founder and CEO Dino Mavrookas said the combination of the Marauder vessel and Blackbeard hypersonic system could expand U.S. strike options by providing more launch locations and improving operational flexibility.

The companies said distributing hypersonic launch capability across autonomous vessels could make military operations more flexible and provide commanders with more launch points across large ocean areas.

Castelion co-founder and CEO Bryon Hargis said the combination of Blackbeard and Marauder would provide military forces with more launch opportunities from a range of locations.

The partnership builds on earlier cooperation between the two firms. In late 2025, Saronic used its 24-foot autonomous vessel Corsair as a telemetry collection and communications platform during a Blackbeard flight test.

Both companies said they are continuing testing and risk-reduction efforts as they prepare for the planned 2027 maritime launch demonstration.

Castelion is also expanding production of the Blackbeard system and plans to manufacture several thousand missiles annually. The company said the weapon has already received multiple awards supporting integration with both U.S. Army and Navy platforms.

At the same time, Saronic is increasing its shipbuilding capacity. The company is carrying out a $300 million expansion of its shipyard in Franklin, Louisiana, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

The expansion will add 300,000 square feet of production space and allow the facility to build up to 20 Marauder vessels each year.

Saronic is also expanding its Austin, Texas, facility by adding 400,000 square feet of production capacity for small autonomous surface vessels. The company also plans to develop Port Alpha, a next-generation shipyard intended to support future U.S. shipbuilding efforts.

The announcement comes shortly after the 180-foot-long Marauder entered on-water trials in late May. The vessel is designed to carry payloads of up to 150 metric tons and is intended to support a variety of military missions.

The U.S. Navy is currently evaluating the platform as part of its MUSV marketplace initiative. Saronic was among seven companies selected for the program.

Participants will conduct at-sea testing this summer, and companies that successfully complete the evaluation phase by October will receive $15 million and become eligible for future production contracts.

Beyond Marauder, Saronic has developed several autonomous vessels, including the Corsair, which can carry payloads of up to 1,000 pounds and travel more than 1,000 nautical miles.

Corsair vessels began operating with the U.S. Navy’s Task Force 59 in Bahrain in March. The platform was recently involved in a rescue operation after a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed near the coast of Oman, according to U.S. Central Command.

References: Castelion, interestingengineering