US Special Operations Forces Awards Five-Year Autonomy Contract

Sea Machines Robotics has secured a five-year Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to supply its commercial autonomy kits to US Special Operations Forces.

The agreement allows Special Operations Forces (SOF) to utilize Sea Machines’ non-developmental, TRL-9 technology as a “drop-in” capability for autonomous command and control on global vessels of opportunity. The systems are intended to support expeditionary logistics, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), and maritime security at the tactical edge.

Powered by the company’s proprietary Autonomous Command and Control system, the autonomy kits provide commercial autonomy that can be deployed across a range of craft with varying size and performance specifications. Deployable within hours, the kits provide options for asymmetric capabilities that can be tailored to different areas of responsibility and operational objectives.

Erik Hedval, Director of Federal Business Captures for Sea Machines, said, “This award reflects a clear shift toward operational, ready-now autonomy that can be deployed wherever and whenever it’s needed. Our maritime autonomy system delivers a true ‘drop-in’ capability, enabling Special Operations Forces to rapidly extend command and control, increase mission flexibility, and reduce risk to personnel in dynamic maritime environments.”

Unmanned vessels and marine autonomy kits are becoming a growing requirement for defense forces, particularly in maritime operations across regions including the Arabian Gulf, INDOPACOM, and the Baltic. According to Sea Machines, these systems can give naval commanders the ability to detect, track, and neutralize threats at sea without placing sailors or high-value maritime assets at risk.