Blue Water Autonomy unveiled its first vessel, the Liberty-class, during WEST 2026 in San Diego. The autonomous vessel design draws on successful Axe Bow hull and targets first vessel completion and serial production for the U.S. Navy this year. Naval News’ US contributor talked to Ryan Maatta, Head of Marine Engineering, to find out more about this new unmanned surface vessel (USV).=====================Liberty is a 190-foot steel autonomous ship with a range of over 10,000 nautical miles and over 150 metric tons of payload capacity. The autonomous surface vessel was designed in partnership with Damen, with construction beginning at Conrad Shipyard in March 2026. The first vessel is expected to be completed for the U.S. Navy later this year under a program of record.As the U.S. Navy drives to expand fleet capacity, accelerating the deployment of unmanned systems that complement traditional crewed ships has become a critical effort. Liberty’s design supports a range of missions, including missile, sensor, and logistics payloads, and offers the Navy a ship immediately producible with existing U.S. shipyards and commercial supply chains.
Summary
Blue Water Autonomy recently introduced its Liberty-class unmanned surface vessel at WEST 2026 in San Diego. This 190-foot steel ship features an Axe Bow hull design and was developed in partnership with Damen. Construction commenced at the Conrad Shipyard in March 2026, with the first unit expected to be completed for the U.S. Navy later this year under a program of record. The vessel boasts a range exceeding 10,000 nautical miles and can carry over 150 metric tons of payload.
The Liberty-class is designed to support various missions, including carrying missile, sensor, and logistics payloads. It aims to help the Navy expand fleet capacity by accelerating the deployment of unmanned systems that work alongside traditional crewed ships. A key advantage of this design is its ability to be produced immediately using existing U.S. shipyards and commercial supply chains. The project targets serial production for the military within the current year. Naval News spoke with Ryan Maatta, Head of Marine Engineering at Blue Water Autonomy, to discuss these developments regarding this new autonomous platform intended for naval operations.
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