U.S. Navy To Acquire 30 MUSV Drone Ships From 3 Louisiana Shipbuilders For $ 1.2 Billion (opens in a new tab)
The U.S. Navy awarded $1.2 billion in contracts to three Louisiana shipbuilders—Galliano Marine Services, Saronic, and Huntington Ingalls Industries—to construct 30 medium unmanned surface vessels (MUSVs) by 2027, with each vessel costing $40 million. The program aims to expand the Navy’s unmanned fleet from 4 to 30 ships by 2030, focusing on autonomous capabilities like threat detection and extended deployment in the Indo-Pacific region. Companies that participated in initial trials but did not secure contracts received $15 million and may compete for future opportunities through the Defense Department’s drone marketplace. Legal challenges from excluded firms are pending, while the Navy emphasizes rapid modernization to counter threats, particularly from China’s growing maritime influence.