Saronic Technologies Launches Latest Autonomous Surface Vessel ‘Corsair’ to Support U.S. Navy Operations
Austin, TX — Defense tech startup Saronic Technologies has made headlines with the unveiling of its third autonomous surface vessel (ASV), the 24-foot Corsair, on Wednesday. This new addition is the largest ASV produced by the Texas-based firm, which previously launched the 14-foot Cutlass and the 6-foot Spyglass earlier this year.
Designed specifically to meet the operational needs of the U.S. Navy and its allies, the Corsair aims to serve as a deterrent against adversaries while functioning as a force multiplier in military operations. The company is actively focused on the Pentagon’s Replicator program, which seeks to deploy swarms of expendable unmanned platforms to bolster defense capabilities, particularly regarding potential threats such as a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
Dino Mavrookas, co-founder and CEO of Saronic Technologies, highlighted the importance of the Corsair in supporting the Navy’s evolving maritime strategy, stating, “Corsair is the answer to our maritime forces’ need for an attritable autonomous platform that can be delivered to the fight in the hundreds or thousands without compromising on reliability, performance, or capability.”
The Corsair ASV boasts an impressive operational range, capable of traveling up to 1,000 nautical miles (approximately 1,852 kilometers) without refueling and achieving speeds exceeding 35 knots (over 65 kilometers per hour). With a payload capacity of 1,000 pounds (approximately 453 kilograms), the vessel is designed for diverse blue-water missions, ranging from maritime domain awareness to the delivery of both kinetic and non-kinetic effects.
Saronic Technologies has integrated advanced hardware, software, and artificial intelligence to allow for scalable production of the Corsair, keeping costs lower and efficiency higher. Mavrookas revealed plans to manufacture "hundreds" of these vessels in response to increasing demand, emphasizing that five prototypes are already under development.
With live demonstrations conducted for end users, Saronic is ramping up efforts for high-rate production. Mavrookas affirmed, “We will be building hundreds and hundreds of Corsairs next year with the ability to scale that into the thousands,” underscoring the company’s commitment to enhancing the capabilities of the U.S. Navy’s hybrid fleet of manned and unmanned systems.
