US Navy selects seven companies for MUSV marketplace at-sea demonstrations

Seven companies have been tapped to advance development of the Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) Family of Systems, with at-sea trials slated to begin next month and run through October 2026. The selected team comprises Sea Machines, Leidos, Saronic Technologies, Galliano Marine Services, PacMar Technologies, Birdon, and Huntington Ingalls Industries.

Program officials said vendors whose vessels successfully complete at-sea evaluations will each receive $15 million and qualify for potential follow-on production awards, signaling a rapid path from demonstration to acquisition.

The effort is being run under the Robotics and Autonomous Systems portfolio’s acquisition executive, which is focused on fielding “hedge” capabilities—systems that broaden naval power, allow forces to operate longer with fewer demands on crewed platforms, and create operational dilemmas that slow and complicate an adversary’s decision-making.

Officials also framed the initiative as a deliberate shift in how the Navy buys unmanned systems. By drawing on mature commercial technologies and opening the door to non-traditional builders, the MUSV marketplace is intended to diversify the industrial base and accelerate delivery of operationally relevant unmanned craft.

The lineup spans established defense primes and newer maritime autonomy players, reflecting a strategy to blend shipbuilding capacity with software-driven autonomy and sensor integration. The at-sea phase will test seaworthiness, autonomy behaviors, payload integration, and reliability under operationally relevant conditions, setting the stage for production decisions once trials conclude.