Fincantieri Marine Group to build Saildrone’s Spectre unmanned surface vessel

Fincantieri Marine Group (FMG), a leading provider of advanced shipbuilding solutions for the U.S. Navy, announced today it plans to construct Saildrone’s Spectre, a new class of high-speed unmanned surface vessel (USV) designed for multi-mission naval operations.

The Spectre program represents a significant opportunity to apply Fincantieri’s proven expertise in the serial production of aluminum vessels to a next-generation autonomous platform. Purpose-built to support a range of maritime missions, Spectre reflects the growing demand for scalable, unmanned capabilities within modern naval fleets.

Construction will take place within Fincantieri’s Wisconsin shipyard system, leveraging established production infrastructure and workforce expertise. The program is structured to support efficient, repeatable manufacturing at scale, with the capacity to deliver multiple vessels per year to meet evolving customer requirements.

At 170 feet long, weighing 250 tons, and capable of up to 30 knots, Spectre is the largest, fastest, and most capable Saildrone platform to date. Optimized for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations, the vessel is designed to deliver extreme endurance and an ultra-quiet acoustic signature by leveraging the proven endurance, reliability, and silent propulsion of Saildrone’s wing system. Spectre was also engineered to operate without the wing for kinetic strike roles, enabling higher sprint speeds and low-profile, stealth operations.

“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,” said Fincantieri Marine Group CEO George Moutafis. “We are excited to join this formidable team and swiftly deliver these capabilities to the warfighter.”

This collaboration underscores Fincantieri’s continued commitment to advancing U.S. shipbuilding capabilities and supporting the operational needs of the Navy and allied maritime forces. By integrating autonomous vessel construction into its portfolio, Fincantieri is further strengthening its role as a key industrial partner in the future maritime defense ecosystem.

The Spectre platform has been designed in collaboration with leading defense technology providers, ensuring compatibility with a range of advanced mission systems and payloads to support evolving naval requirements.

Saildrone, a global leader and the most experienced operator of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), announced Spectre at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space exhibition at National Harbor, Maryland.  The announcement culminates two years of intense design work and more than 10 years of operational USV experience.

photo courtesy Saildrone