US unmanned surface vessel manufacturer Saildrone is strengthening its position in the European market through a series of industrial projects in the Netherlands, Norway and Poland. The company plans to produce several of its autonomous naval systems on the continent for surveillance, intelligence-gathering and anti-submarine warfare missions.
Three production hubs for unmanned vessels
The announcement was made shortly before the opening of Scandinavia’s largest defense exhibition, DALO Industry Days, in Denmark. Earlier this year, Saildrone established its European Union headquarters in the country.
The company’s European industrial plan includes three separate projects:
- the first 52-meter Saildrone Spectre will be built at Van Der Valk Shipyard in the Netherlands;
- the next-generation Saildrone Surveyor will be produced at Umoe Mandal in Norway;
- the rigid vertical structures used as wind-powered propulsion systems for Surveyor vessels will be manufactured in Poland by New Zealand-based Southern Spars.
The projects are intended to improve Saildrone’s ability to rapidly build and deploy unmanned surface vessels across European waters.
Spectre targets a major anti-submarine warfare gap
Saildrone currently offers four classes of unmanned surface vessels. They include the 20-meter Surveyor and the Spectre, the company’s largest and fastest platform to date.
The Spectre measures 52 meters and weighs approximately 250 tons. Unveiled in April, the platform is being developed and built in cooperation with Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marine Group.
The vessel is intended to address a critical capability gap in anti-submarine warfare. It will reportedly be capable of reaching speeds of up to 30 knots and carrying kinetic-strike payloads. Potential armament options include two Lockheed Martin MK-70 Payload Delivery Systems.
Denmark conducts operational trials with autonomous vessels
In the summer of 2026, the Danish Armed Forces launched a multi-month operational trial involving four Saildrone Voyager vessels operating in the country’s territorial waters.
The mission is designed to strengthen maritime surveillance and intelligence-gathering capabilities across Northern Europe. According to the company, the vessels completed a six-month deployment while maintaining 92 percent fleet availability in harsh weather and sea conditions.
During the deployment, the autonomous platforms detected more than 170,000 unique contacts, referring to individually identified objects or vessels.
Production capacity expands ahead of rising European demand
The company has not disclosed details about any potential future European contracts. However, it said that it is expanding production capacity in anticipation of increased demand.
The three announced projects are structured as separate construction contracts with industrial partners in the Netherlands, Norway and Poland. The expansion could turn Europe into one of Saildrone’s main production and deployment centers for unmanned surface vessels.
