The U.S. Navy is moving its medium unmanned surface vessel program from testing into production, and Louisiana shipyards will build the first 30 vessels.
Following at-sea trials, the Navy selected Saronic Technologies, Huntington Ingalls Industries and Galliano Marine Service for production agreements covering 10 vessels each. Navy officials put the average procurement cost at about $40 million per vessel, implying roughly $1.2 billion across the initial 30-ship buy, although individual agreement values were not disclosed.
For Acadiana, the biggest change is that work discussed only days ago as a competition has now become an actual production commitment.
Franklin and Loreauville Move Into Production
Saronic will build its vessels at the former Gulf Craft yard in Franklin, where the company has been expanding its Louisiana manufacturing operation. HII's ROMULUS vessels are tied to a Louisiana production network that includes Breaux Brothers in Loreauville. Galliano Marine Service will produce the third group in Houma.
The Navy says production will begin immediately, with first deliveries possible by the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2027.
The awards follow Phase I testing designed to evaluate autonomy, endurance, speed, payload capability and production readiness. Navy officials said the selections reflected a combination of autonomy performance, vessel design, production schedule and cost.
A Meaningful New Development for Acadiana Shipbuilding
South Louisiana's commercial shipyards have spent decades building crew boats, offshore vessels and other specialized craft. The unmanned-vessel program gives those yards a pathway into a defense market that is increasingly focused on autonomous systems.
This is also a meaningful update to the earlier prototype story. The question is no longer simply whether Louisiana yards can compete for the Navy's autonomous fleet. Three Louisiana production sites have now been selected for the first 30-vessel buy.
What Comes Next
The Navy is already opening a second phase of its marketplace to additional designs and suppliers. That means the first 30 vessels may not be the final opportunity for Louisiana yards.
Budget decisions, testing results and operational requirements will determine how large the program eventually becomes. But an initial production run worth roughly $1.2 billion at the Navy's stated average cost gives South Louisiana something more concrete than a future possibility: ships to build.
Source Notes
USNI News, Sept. 29, 2026: https://news.usni.org/2026/09/29/3-louisiana-shipyards-to-build-30-drone-ships-in-navy-musv-deal
U.S. Navy background on Louisiana shipbuilding expansion, Sept. 15, 2026: https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/4601894/us-navy-awards-three-prototype-agreements-to-accelerate-lcu-1700-production-and/
