Saronic, maker of drone that rescued Apache pilots near Strait of Hormuz, develops larger unmanned vessels

Saronic, the company behind the unmanned surface vessel that rescued US Army Apache helicopter pilots downed near the Strait of Hormuz, is drawing wide attention, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

Saronic is a defense company founded in 2022 by Dino Mavrookas, a former Navy SEAL with more than a decade of service, along with fellow veterans. From its inception, the company set autonomous vessel development as its core mission.

Its stated goal is to strengthen US shipbuilding capacity through unmanned vessel technology and gain an edge over China in maritime competition.

Saronic signed a $392 million (approximately 595 billion won) contract with the US Navy in December last year.

Its unmanned surface vessel, the Corsair, began deploying with the US Navy in March.

The Corsair is a 24-foot (7.3-meter) unmanned surface vessel capable of speeds exceeding 35 knots and a range of 1,150 nautical miles (approximately 2,130 kilometers).

The vessel can operate fully autonomously, and a single operator can reportedly control up to 100 units simultaneously.

The Corsair proved its combat capability June 9, rescuing two crew members from a US Army Apache helicopter shot down by Iranian forces over the Gulf of Oman.

According to US media, it marks the first time an unmanned surface vessel has conducted a search-and-rescue mission and saved lives.

Saronic is also developing larger unmanned vessels, including the 52-foot Mirage and the 180-foot Marauder.

Investment has been flowing in as well. Saronic, which has yet to pursue an initial public offering, recently secured $1.75 billion (approximately 2.7 trillion won) in funding.

Investors include 8VC, the venture capital firm co-founded by Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, and prominent Silicon Valley investment firm Andreessen Horowitz.

The company is currently valued at $9.25 billion (approximately 14 trillion won).

Saronic is using the fresh capital to expand production capacity. Its Texas facility is reportedly capable of manufacturing thousands of unmanned surface vessels per year.

Mavrookas, the company's founder and CEO, said the ultimate goal of developing unmanned vessels is "to protect soldiers from danger."

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https://biz.heraldcorp.com/article/10770220