The US Navy has awarded Saildrone a $16.3 million task order to expand the operations of its unmanned surface vehicles in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. This move is part of the Trump administration's efforts to curb illicit narcotics flowing into the United States.
Saildrone's Voyager fleet has been working with the US Navy since 2023, supporting the Joint Interagency Task Force South and US Naval Forces Southern Command. The 33-foot-long Voyager is designed for persistent surface and subsurface surveillance and can conduct nearshore mapping missions and seafloor characterization.
The extension of Saildrone's operations demonstrates the strategic value of unmanned surface vehicles in counternarcotics efforts. The US military has conducted strikes against alleged drug-carrying vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September 2025, with 66 strikes disclosed as of June 22.
