Saildrone's Spectre: Game-Changing Unmanned Naval Tech

0:00It's April 20th. This is U.S. News Today, your AI-powered source for National News. Sail drone just dropped specter, a massive 170-foot unmanned surface vessel, built for anti-submarine warfare, long-range surveillance, and even launching missiles. This beast is pushing the company hard into the booming world of autonomous naval tech, unveiled right before the big sea airspace conference in Maryland. Over the past two years, they've poured everything into this after a decade of testing drones in brutal spots like the Arctic and Antarctic. CEO Richard Jenkins says they ran thousands of tweaks to make it tough as nails, and it's already lined up for the U.S. Navy's medium unmanned surface. Vessel program, no changes needed. Lockheed Martin, who dropped $50 million into Sail drone last year, is hyped, calling it a game changer for naval warfare. Vice President sees it transforming how we fight on the water and it integrates seamless with their gear, plus daily systems like sonar and missiles.

1:02Construction kicks off with Finken Tieri and Wisconsin, cranking out up to five ships a year, with a smaller wing option from American Magic. A scale model has been grinding through test and Denmark, and full-sea trials hit early next year, all funded in-house for now. Meanwhile, Sail drones eyeing European builds too, as worries grow over Russian subs near key energy lines. This fits the Pentagon's big shift to unmanned systems, stretching naval power without risking lives on the front lines.