Sea Machines Robotics announced it has advanced to the final competitive evaluation phase for the U.S. Navy's Modular Attack Surface Combatant program, a major autonomous vessel acquisition.
The MASC program seeks to develop and field medium unmanned surface vessels capable of operating independently for extended periods in support of distributed maritime operations.
Sea Machines said it has developed the STEAMRACER-class autonomous surface ship for the program. The vessel is designed for unmanned operations but retains the flexibility to operate in a limited, short-duration manned configuration when mission requirements dictate.
Sea Machines, founded in 2015, has invested more than $50 million in venture-backed capital to develop its marine autonomy technology, which has been deployed across commercial and military fleets.
The platform features AI-enabled remote command architecture, high speed, extended endurance, modular open-deck payload capacity, and a secure onboard data environment.
The vessel integrates Sea Machines' autonomy technology with U.S. shipbuilding capacity through partnerships with St. Johns Ship Building, TOTE Services, Ring Power, Incat Crowther, and EMI-W&O. Sierra Nevada Corp. will provide its Maritime Advanced Secure Transmission solution for communications and cybersecurity.
The Navy has prioritized expanding production of medium uncrewed surface vessels as cost-effective platforms that can supplement manned combatants for missions including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and distributed operations.
In 2025, Congress allocated $2.1 billion for the Navy to develop and acquire medium unmanned surface vessels through reconciliation legislation.
