The U.S. Department of Defense has asked industry for market-ready unmanned surface vessels integrated with at least two aerial drones, aiming for systems that can be fielded within 120 days. The solicitation—called a "multi-phase Prize Challenge"—offers up to $100 million in potential funding and requires submissions by Aug. 10. Systems must be transportable in a standard cargo container, on a trailer, or aboard C-17/C-130 aircraft. Portland-based ReconCraft plans to produce Ukrainian-designed Magura boats, which are intended for reconnaissance, mine-sweeping and anti-submarine tasks and are reported to cost under $500,000 each.
Pentagon Seeks Drone-Launching Robot Boats Deployable Within 120 Days — $100M Prize Challenge
The U.S. Department of Defense has put out a call for robot boats with the capability of launching drones to be deployed within 120 days. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI
July 30 — The U.S. Department of Defense has issued a solicitation for robotic, unmanned surface vessels (USVs) capable of launching and operating aerial drones, with the goal of having systems deployable within 120 days.
The Pentagon's innovation arm released the request this week and set a submission deadline of Aug. 10, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The effort is described as a "multi-phase Prize Challenge" with potential funding of up to $100 million.
What the Solicitation Requests
The solicitation asks industry to deliver mature, market-ready USVs fully integrated with two or more mature aerial drones to extend sensing, targeting, and communications and to enable defeat of hostile threats through both kinetic and non-kinetic effects at scale.
"The DoD is relying on industry to provide inexpensive and scalable solutions that combine proven USVs with mature drone capabilities to extend sensing, targeting, communications, and defeat of hostile threats through kinetic and non-kinetic effects at scale."
The package must be transportable: systems should fit inside a standard cargo container, on a road trailer, or aboard C-17 and C-130 transport aircraft.
Industry Response: ReconCraft and Magura Boats
This month, Portland-based defense contractor ReconCraft announced plans to begin producing drone boats based on the Ukrainian-designed Magura class of unmanned vessels. ReconCraft says Magura boats can be controlled remotely and are designed for missions such as reconnaissance, mine-sweeping and limited anti-submarine operations. The company has stated an eventual production goal in the thousands per year and quotes a unit price under $500,000.
Why It Matters
Autonomous maritime and aerial systems have played an increasingly prominent role in recent conflicts, prompting the Pentagon to accelerate procurement and experimentation with integrated USV–drone packages. If awarded and fielded, these systems could expand surveillance, targeting and force-protection options while allowing rapid deployment from existing transport platforms.
Note: The solicitation timeline and funding cap were reported by the Wall Street Journal and summarized by news outlets. Specific operational requirements and final contract awards will depend on submissions and the Department's evaluation process.
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