Navy Orders 30 Drone Ships To Finally Advance Its 'Medium' Uncrewed Vessel Ambitions

The U.S. Navy ordered 30 medium uncrewed surface vessels, dividing the production award equally among Edison Chouest Offshore, HII and Saronic. Each company will build ten vessels under agreements averaging about $40 million per ship, with deliveries expected to begin as early as the fourth quarter of fiscal 2027. The craft are intended to support modular payloads and long-endurance autonomous operations, advancing a program that has moved slowly for years while giving the Navy three industrial approaches to compare before any larger fleet commitment. Mission payloads and final operating concepts remain under development.