USV Maker MARTAC Opens Innovation Center in San Diego, California
MARTAC, a Florida-headquartered manufacturer of uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), has expanded its footprint to the US West Coast as it opened a new office in San Diego, California.
The facility, named MARTAC Innovation Center West, will operate as a hub for research, development, testing, and customer engagement — supporting a range of activities, including advanced engineering and systems integration, live-water demonstrations, and collaboration with industry partners.
According to the company’s Chief Technology Officer, Jim Harvey, MARTAC selected San Diego as it features “the largest concentration of naval assets in the world and an unmatched community of defense innovators.”
“Establishing this facility allows us to work more closely with our customers, accelerate development timelines, and expand the reach of our autonomous maritime solutions,” he added.
MARTAC USVs
MARTAC develops high-speed USVs typically deployed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions and swarm operations.
Its product lineup includes the Mantas T12, an electric-powered naval drone measuring about 12 feet (4 meters) long with a payload capacity of 140 pounds (64 kilograms), which the US government supplies to the Philippines to be used for surveillance in the South China Sea.
Moreover, the US Navy operates MARTAC’s flagship Devil Ray T38 USV, a 38-foot (11-meter) platform that can carry a maximum payload of 4,000 pounds (1,814 kilograms) and operate at burst speeds of over 60 knots (111 kilometers/69 miles per hour).
Devil Ray recently completed an eight-day autonomous mission off California’s coast in May.
Apart from working with Washington, the US company is also collaborating with Taiwan to jointly manufacture MARTAC surface vessels in the self-governed island, supporting its ramp-up of drone defense capabilities amid the threat of a potential Chinese invasion.
