Lockheed Martin Commits $50M to Accelerate Combat-Ready USV Production for U.S. Navy

Lockheed Martin has announced a $50 million investment to expand its capacity to produce combat-ready Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) for the U.S. Navy. The move signals a strategic shift toward accelerating autonomous naval capabilities as part of the Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) and future fleet architecture.

Investment Targets Rapid Scaling of Autonomous Naval Platforms

The $50 million allocation will be directed toward enhancing Lockheed Martin’s facilities in Riviera Beach, Florida—home to its advanced undersea and surface autonomy development center. According to the company’s official statement on May 21, 2024, the funds will support infrastructure upgrades, tooling investments, and workforce expansion aimed at enabling full-rate production of medium and large USVs.

This initiative aligns with the U.S. Navy’s push for increased autonomy in surface fleets through programs like Ghost Fleet Overlord and the Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV). Lockheed Martin has been an active participant in these initiatives through prior contracts and technology demonstrations involving its proprietary autonomy suite and integration with C4ISR systems.

Strategic Role of USVs in Future Naval Operations

Unmanned Surface Vessels are a cornerstone of emerging naval doctrines emphasizing distributed lethality and reduced risk to crewed platforms. By operating as forward sensors or weapons carriers within manned-unmanned teaming constructs, USVs can extend situational awareness and strike reach while complicating adversary targeting cycles.

The Navy envisions a hybrid fleet where optionally manned or fully autonomous vessels conduct ISR missions, electronic warfare tasks, anti-submarine operations, or even missile launches under human-on-the-loop control. In this context, Lockheed Martin’s investment is not just industrial—it’s doctrinally aligned with how the Pentagon sees future maritime competition unfolding across Indo-Pacific theaters.

Facility Expansion Supports Modular Autonomy Integration

The Riviera Beach facility is expected to become a key node for modular integration of autonomy kits into multiple hull types. Lockheed’s approach emphasizes open architectures that can accommodate various mission payloads—ranging from EO/IR sensors and radar arrays to EW suites or vertical launch systems (VLS).

This flexibility supports rapid reconfiguration based on mission needs or threat environments. According to Joe DePietro, VP & GM of Naval Combat & Missile Defense Systems at Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS), “This investment enables us to meet growing demand from our customer while advancing modularity across our unmanned portfolio.”

Partnerships with Austal USA and Other Shipbuilders

Lockheed Martin has previously partnered with Austal USA on several unmanned vessel prototypes under the Ghost Fleet Overlord program—a DARPA/Navy initiative that tested large USVs like “Ranger” and “Nomad” over thousands of nautical miles autonomously.

Austal USA is also building test hulls for the MUSV program under a contract awarded by L3Harris Technologies in partnership with Leidos. While Lockheed was not selected as prime contractor for MUSV Phase I, it continues to provide autonomy software packages—including its Integrated Combat Management System (CMS)—and sensor fusion capabilities that could be integrated into future increments.

Industrial Base Implications Amid Great Power Competition

This investment comes amid growing concerns about industrial base readiness to support high-volume production of next-generation platforms during prolonged conflict scenarios—particularly vis-à-vis China’s naval buildup. By preemptively scaling manufacturing capacity now without waiting for formal program-of-record awards, Lockheed positions itself as a ready supplier when full-rate production ramps up post-FY2025.

• $50M internal capital expenditure bypasses traditional DoD funding cycles
• Supports skilled labor growth in Florida’s defense corridor
• Enables faster transition from prototype/demo phase to serial delivery
• Reinforces DoD push toward commercial-style agility in acquisition

Navy Budget Signals Growing Demand for Uncrewed Surface Assets

The FY2025 President’s Budget Request includes over $300 million earmarked for continued development of MUSV prototypes and related C4ISR integration efforts. Additionally, Congress has shown bipartisan support for uncrewed maritime systems as cost-effective force multipliers amid flat topline growth projections.

If current trends hold—and if operational testing validates reliability—USVs could account for up to one-third of new hull acquisitions by mid-2030s under the Navy’s Force Design plans. Lockheed Martin’s early investment thus serves both strategic positioning and risk mitigation against future procurement delays or bottlenecks.