Saronic Technologies is making a major push in the unmanned maritime sector with a $300 million expansion of its Franklin, Louisiana shipyard. The initiative is designed to ramp up production capacity for its growing family of autonomous surface vessels, backed by support from Louisiana Economic Development, St. Mary Parish officials, and various state and local partners. The move highlights Louisiana’s increasing role in the national unmanned systems industrial ecosystem.
The shipyard expansion, which began construction last month, will add more than 300,000 square feet of advanced manufacturing space. Saronic expects construction to wrap up by late 2026, enabling expanded production operations by early 2027. The newly added infrastructure includes a dedicated assembly line specifically for large unmanned ships such as the 180-foot (55-meter) Marauder, a key asset in Saronic’s long-term maritime autonomy roadmap.
To deliver the project, Saronic is collaborating with leading architecture and engineering firms including JacobsWyper Architects, P2S, KPFF, JE Dunn, and Alberici. The expansion aligns with a wider effort by Saronic to accelerate programs tied to US defense and naval modernization goals, especially as demand grows for autonomous systems capable of persistent maritime surveillance and operations.
In parallel with the shipyard upgrade, Saronic has broadened its technological partnerships. The company entered a strategic collaboration with NVIDIA in October to integrate advanced AI, simulation, and high-performance computing into its unmanned surface vessels. This development is intended to enhance autonomous decision-making and reduce dependence on human operators during missions. Over the last year, Saronic has also expanded its product lineup with new platforms—including the 24-foot Corsair, as well as the smaller Cipher (14 ft) and Spyglass (6 ft)—all engineered to meet mission requirements set by the US Navy and defense partners.
