The new Spectre unmanned surface vessel (USV) is saildrone’s largest offering yet, standing in at 52 meters (~170 feet) in length, enabling the carriage of a multitude of payloads matching different mission sets. The Medium-size USV was unveiled today at Sea Air Space 2026.
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD — Long lead time materials for the first two drones were ordered previously in Octover of 2025, pertaining mostly to the unique 2 shaft diesel/electric propulsion, which enables the Spectre to obtain ultra-quiet propulsion at speeds up to 12 knots. Top speeds of up to 27 knots are achieved with over 5,000 total horsepower of Caterpiller diesel engines, making the Spectre Saildrone’s fastest USV to date.
Spectre is built for long endurance missions, with a total range of up to 3,280 nautical miles in flat water and 2,790 nautical miles range in Sea State 4. Additionally, Spectre can carry payloads of up to 25,000 kg (55,115 lbs) at a cruising speed of 25 knots, with capabilities to carry 2 40 foot containers, 5 20 foot containers, or a mixture of both.
“As a company with over 2.5 million miles of voyages, and 60,000 days at sea, Spectre represrnts everything we’ve learned in the last 10 years.”
– Richard Jenkins, Saildrone’s founder and CEO
MASC, the previous U.S. Navy Medium USV program, had requirements not suited towards Spectre. However, since MASC has been cancelled and subsequently transformed into the MUSV program, Spectre is expected by Saildrone to be a competitive option within new program requirements.
Spectre USV weapon and sensor payloads
Potential payloads include 2 of Lockheed Martin’s MK-70 Payload Delivery System (PDS) , which adapts 4 Mk-41 shipborne VLS cells into a 4 foot shipping container, with Lockheed Martin’s Paul Lemo stating that MK-70 is to undergo a live fire test at RIMPAC 2026. Thales’s CAPTAS-4 variable depth active sonar was also explicitly mentioned, with CAPTAS aboard Spectre targeted towards augmenting current ASW capabilities, allowing a sub-surface sensor to deployed before any manned surface ships arrive in the area which drastically expands coverage of undersea surveillance.
Manufacturing by Fincantieri in Wisconsin
Two types of Spectre, a version with the sail and a version without, are to be manufactured by Fincantieri Marinette Marine’s Green Bay Wisconsin facility, allowing for increase scalability. Spectres without the fitted sail are targeted towards increasing the stealth of the vessel, enhancing potential strike profiles by evading sensors with a reduced profile of only 2 meters (from 43 meters with the sail).
“Saildrone’s decades of operating unmanned surface vessels, combined with Spectre’s unique features as a multi-mission platform, represent an ideal case on which to apply Fincantieri Marine Group’s proven expertise in the serial production of aluminum vessels,”
“We are excited to join this formidable team and swiftly deliver these capabilities to the warfighter.”Fincantieri Marine Group CEO George Moutafis
Fincantieri can produce about 5 Spectres per year, with the first article expected to be finalized for Sea Trials sometime in early 2027. Each Spectre will be tolled at roughly $40 million dollars, with the final cost ultimately dependent on the type of payload carried. Production follows Saildrone’s extensive 4 month tow-tank testing in Europe with a 1/7th scale model, which served to optimize hydrodynamics and test the unique power pack in up to Sea State 5.
