The US Navy is taking a leap into the autonomous future with its newest naval asset: a 190-foot (58-meter) steel ship designed to operate for months without a crew.
Dubbed “Liberty Class,” the vessel from Boston-based Blue Water Autonomy can sail 10,000 nautical miles (11,508 miles/18,520 kilometers) and carry 150 metric tons (330,693 pounds) of payload.
It is built to handle a variety of missions, from missile and sensor operations to logistics, while escorting traditionally crewed ships.
Liberty Class borrows from Dutch firm Damen’s Stan Patrol 6009 vessel, sporting the same Axe Bow hull design to give it improved stability in harsh waters.
With over 300 ships using the same hull worldwide, Blue Water could focus on optimizing the vessel’s internal systems, from the engine room to its autonomous propulsion setup.
The result: a ship designed for extended deployments with minimal human intervention.
Industry Powering Next-Gen Fleet
The Liberty Class project aligns with the US Navy and Pentagon’s push for private partners to deliver modern military technology.
In a first for a full-size navy ship, Blue Water, Damen, and around 100 contractors funded the vessel independently.
“The Liberty Class reflects our focus on building autonomous ships that are designed from the start for long-duration operations and repeat production,” said Blue Water Chief Executive Officer Rylan Hamilton.
“This is a modern take on an old idea: building capable ships quickly and at scale.”
Construction begins this March at Conrad Shipyard, with delivery expected later this year.
Blue Water plans to eventually produce up to 20 Liberty Class ships per year, expanding the navy’s growing fleet of autonomous systems.
