Saildrone USV enables US Navy interdiction of $81 million worth of cocaine

Published Aug 4, 09:48 AM UTC

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Saildrone announced that one of its Voyager unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) directly enabled a U.S. Navy interdiction in October 2025 that seized over $81 million worth of cocaine. The disclosure came alongside news that the U.S. Navy awarded a $16.3 million task order to extend the Voyager fleet's operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. The USVs have been operating under Joint Interagency Task Force South and US Naval Forces Southern Command (Fourth Fleet) since 2023, patrolling waters near Panama, the Galapagos Islands, and southern maritime approaches to the U.S. Saildrone President John Mustin, a retired Navy vice admiral, emphasized the strategic value of persistent unmanned presence as a deterrent and force multiplier, allowing crewed ships to focus on interdictions. The Voyager is a 10-meter long-dwell USV designed for persistent surveillance, intelligence gathering, and seafloor mapping.

Source

UK Defence JournalWestern

Original headline: Saildrone USV credited in $81m cocaine interdiction

Original language: EN-GB

Part of this Story

U.S. Navy Expands Saildrone Unmanned Fleet for Counternarcotics Operations

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U.S. Navy