The US Navy has acquired an unmanned surface vessel (USV) from Textron Systems for evaluation under the AUKUS framework, the trilateral security partnership involving Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Launched in 2021, AUKUS focuses on the collaborative development, testing, and sharing of advanced crewed and uncrewed technologies to strengthen security across the Indo-Pacific region.
The contract covers Textron’s flagship Tsunami drone boat, along with engineering support and operator training. The vessel will be delivered to the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific in San Diego, which spearheads US Navy research into emerging technologies such as autonomous systems for multi-domain operations.
Textron secured the award less than a year after unveiling the Tsunami USV in January 2025, describing it as a cost-effective, rapidly deployable platform built on a commercial Brunswick Corporation hull. Powered by Textron’s proprietary Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle autonomy system and gasoline propulsion, Tsunami can operate in Sea State 4 conditions, manage waves up to 2.5 meters, and achieve a range exceeding 1,000 nautical miles.
The USV offers a payload capacity of 1,000 pounds and is available in 24-, 25-, and 28-foot hull variants. Textron previously confirmed its first Tsunami sale to the US Navy in May, delivering a 24-foot version to the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division in Virginia.
