Collaboration with Saildrone targets industrial production of autonomous Spectre USVs
Fincantieri, through its U.S. subsidiary Fincantieri Marine Group, will construct Spectre, a new class of high-speed, multi-mission unmanned surface vessel (USV) developed by Saildrone.
The Spectre platform is designed to address evolving naval requirements, with a focus on autonomous operations, scalability, and mission flexibility. The vessel reflects increasing demand from naval forces for unmanned systems that can be produced at volume while maintaining consistent performance and reliability.
The collaboration with Saildrone – announced at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space exhibition currently ongoing at National Harbour, Maryland – marks a concrete step forward in Fincantieri’s industrial strategy to integrate unmanned solutions into its defence portfolio, while leveraging the Group’s established shipbuilding processes and production capacity.
The program builds on Fincantieri Marine Groups proven expertise in the serial production of advanced aluminium vessels, applying industrialised shipbuilding methods to a next-generation autonomous platform designed for multi-mission naval operations. Construction will take place at Fincantieri’s system of shipyards in Wisconsin, capitalising on existing infrastructure and a highly specialised workforce.
The initiative confirms the Group’s intent to play a leading role in the transformation of naval fleets, where speed of delivery, production continuity, and industrial robustness are increasingly critical alongside technological performance.
At approximately 52 meters in length, with a displacement of around 250 tons and a top speed of up to 30 knots, Spectre USV is the largest, fastest, and most capable Saildrone platform to date. Optimised for anti-submarine warfare operations, the vessel delivers extreme endurance and an ultra-quiet acoustic signature, while remaining adaptable to alternative mission configurations, including higher-speed and low‑observable operational profiles.
Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri, commented: “Spectre represents another step towards Fincantieri’s transformation from a traditional shipbuilder into a system-level industrial integrator for future naval forces. The combination of Saildrone’s leadership in unmanned operations with Fincantieri’s industrial execution strength and U.S.-based production footprint enables the rapid and reliable delivery of advanced naval solutions. This is how we support allied navies: by turning innovation into deployable solutions at scale.”
The program also reinforces Fincantieri’s long-standing commitment to the United States, ensuring continuity with domestic industrial requirements while contributing to the operational readiness of the U.S. Navy and allied maritime forces.
Designed in close coordination with leading defence technology providers, Spectre is engineered to integrate a wide range of mission systems and payloads, enabling timely adaptation to evolving operational scenarios and threat environments.
