Texas startup unveils marine drones for Pentagon program [Video]

Texas-based defense startup Saronic Technologies recently presented its Cutlass and Spyglass autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) during the US Navy’s Integrated Battle Problem (IBP) 24.1 exercise. 

The ASVs, designed for the Pentagon’s China-focused “Replicator” program, are equipped with third-party payloads to perform various tasks in contested waters. During the exercise, the 14-foot (4.2-meter) Cutlass successfully integrated with an Anduril ALTIUS loitering munition, significantly extending its launch capabilities, The Defense Post reported.

According to the company’s co-founder Vib Altekar, the drones can mitigate challenges, such as bandwidth limitations, dynamic vessel conditions, and susceptibility to interference and jamming.

“At IBP 24.1, Saronic showcased how Cutlass can mitigate these challenges, extending C2 networks and relaying crucial information on the water, thereby empowering commanders with enhanced warfighting capabilities,” Altekar …