The U.S.-based USV builder Saronic has unveiled the new Mirage and Cipher USVs, which are between the Corsair USV and Marauder MUSV in terms of displacement.
Mirage and Cipher are being developed to fill the gap between the 24 ft Corsair USV and the much larger 150 ft Marauder USV. The image released by Saronic shows that the 40 ft Mirage is fitted with an Mk32 lightweight torpedo launcher, and the 60 ft Cipher is carrying a 20 ft shipping container.
Saronic started with a smaller family of USVs ranging from 6 ft to 24 ft in length but has ambitions for larger platforms after having gained know-how on control and communication.
Saronic’s Acquisition of a New Shipyard for MUSVs
Saronic announced its acquisition of Gulf Craft shipyard alongside the unveiling of the Marauder MUSV, which can carry 40 tonnes and operate for 30 days. Gulf Craft will be the centre of Saronic for the construction of Marauder MUSV and others.
The firm also envisions a larger shipyard named Port Alpha to build USVs in the “hundreds per year” range. For comparison, Gulf Craft’s investment is worth $250 million, while Port Alpha will receive $2.5 billion in funding at the lowest.
Author: Kaan Azman
Editor: Özgür Ekşi
