Jane Edwards 
- Lockheed and Saildrone have demonstrated a missile launch from an unmanned vehicle
- The test integrated a JAGM dual launcher and ARES fire control system
- The 2026 Navy Summit will explore AI, unmanned systems and more
Lockheed Martin and Saildrone have demonstrated a live-fire missile launch from a Saildrone Surveyor-class unmanned surface vehicle, or USV, equipped with a Joint Air-to-Ground Missile, or JAGM, dual launcher and the Adjunct Remote Engagement System fire control command-and-control system.
As the U.S. Navy expands investment in unmanned and autonomous maritime systems, government and industry leaders will gather at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Navy Summit on Aug. 27 to discuss artificial intelligence, digital engineering, autonomous and unmanned vehicles, network modernization, shipbuilding and other priorities shaping the future maritime force. Book your spot now!
Lockheed said Thursday the demonstration was conducted in coordination with the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and took place near Hawaii under the sponsorship of the Navy’s Fleet Experimentation Program during Exercise Rim of the Pacific, or RIMPAC, 2026.
What Did the RIMPAC Demonstration Involve?
During the multidomain event, the Saildrone Surveyor USV fired two rounds while acting on target data for a surrogate high-speed surface craft. The test moved from concept to demonstration in six months in partnership with the Navy.
The team also demonstrated a passive electronic warfare capability from the Surveyor. The USV detected, classified and identified a surrogate threat radar system in conjunction with an MH-60S helicopter.
What Did Lockheed & Saildrone Officials Say About the Demo?
Paul Lemmo, vice president and general manager of sensors, effectors and mission systems at Lockheed, said the companies are working to deliver autonomous platforms with containerized capabilities for national defense.
“We will continue to invest in new capabilities ahead of need to accelerate and de-risk deployment of urgently needed defense technologies,” he added.
Richard Jenkins, founder and CEO of Saildrone, said the demonstration paired an established munition with the most operationally deployed class of USV in use today.
He noted that the test also supports the companies’ work toward fitting more advanced kinetic capabilities onto Saildrone’s larger Spectre platform, and said Saildrone will continue developing its platform capabilities to meet evolving customer requirements.
What Does the Demo Build on for Lockheed’s Unmanned Maritime Push?
The RIMPAC test follows a partnership that began in October 2025, when Lockheed Martin invested $50 million in Saildrone to integrate defense systems onto the company’s autonomous surface vehicles. The companies advanced that work in January with a JAGM quad launcher demonstration ahead of the system’s planned integration with the Surveyor platform.
Lockheed has continued to expand its unmanned and undersea portfolio in the months since. The company unveiled the LampreyMMAUV autonomous submersible in February and agreed in July to acquire Ultra Maritime for $3.45 billion, a deal intended to add sonar, sonobuoy and torpedo defense capabilities to its offerings.
