Saronic Expands Louisiana Shipyard for Autonomous Naval Vessel Production

Saronic Technologies is converting its shipyard in Franklin, Louisiana, into a production hub for autonomous naval vessels. The company plans to increase output using new funding and facility upgrades. Two hulls of the Marauder autonomous surface vessel are already under construction at the yard. The company announced the expansion plans in late March.

The facility will support vertically integrated manufacturing and modular design for the Marauder and other platforms. Traditional U.S. guided-missile destroyers can take up to nine years to deliver. The company completed the first hull for its 180-foot Marauder vessel roughly nine months after acquiring the shipyard in April 2025.

A company executive said the pace could make it the fastest ship built in the United States since World War II.

Saronic received a $392 million production contract with the Navy in 2025 for its 24-foot Corsair autonomous surface vessel. The Corsair can carry payloads up to 1,000 nautical miles and can be operated by a single sailor through the company's Echelon software.

The company closed a $1.75 billion Series D funding round in March at a $9.25 billion valuation. Demand is increasing for larger autonomous platforms with greater range and payload capacity.