Lockheed Martin and Saildrone demonstrate USV missile launch

Lockheed Martin and Saildrone have successfully demonstrated a live-fire missile launch from a Saildrone Surveyor-class unmanned surface vehicle (USV). The test, conducted near Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2026, involved the launch of two rounds from a Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) dual launcher.

The system utilized the Adjunct Remote Engagement System (ARES) fire control command-and-control system and was coordinated with the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group. The demonstration was sponsored by the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Experimentation Program and moved from concept to live-fire demonstration in just six months.

In addition to the missile launch, the team demonstrated passive electronic warfare capabilities. The Surveyor USV successfully detected, classified, and identified a surrogate threat radar system in coordination with an MH-60S helicopter. This test marks the first of several planned demonstrations intended to integrate combat-proven defense technology onto commercial USV platforms.