Got Scale?: BlackSea Technologies is leading the charge in high-rate production for naval superiority
BlackSea’s production facility in Baltimore, Maryland.
American industry once set the global standard for rapid, high-volume production. Nowhere was this clearer than in Baltimore, where the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard launched 508 ships in just four years, cutting Liberty Ship construction time from 150 days to just 19 days. Today, the same location is home to BlackSea Technologies, where high-rate production is once again defining the future — this time, with unmanned systems. The mission remains the same: deliver at scale, meet operational demands, and ensure the fleet gets what it needs to stay ahead. And just like in 1941, scale has become a strategic imperative.
China’s shipbuilding dominance poses an undeniable challenge to U.S. naval superiority. The numbers are staggering: China has 232 times the shipbuilding capacity of the United States. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy continues to retire more ships than it procures. A fleet built around a handful of large, costly warships is vulnerable, both strategically and financially. The future of maritime dominance depends on a shift to distributed, autonomous platforms that are smaller, smarter, and built for adaptability. Unmanned surface vessels (USVs) are one example of this shift, offering a faster, more scalable way to project power at sea. This shift is already underway. The Navy needs industry that can match the pace of the threat.
With two high-output production facilities, BlackSea Technologies’ infrastructure is purpose-built for rapid, continuous manufacturing of USVs. The Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft, or GARC, is one of the most advanced small USVs on the market. The vessel has already seen over 5,000 operational hours with the U.S. Navy and leads the market in technical specifications like speed and range. But without the ability to produce them in large numbers, capability alone is irrelevant.
BlackSea Technologies placed significant investment in automation and advanced production capabilities before contracts were even signed, ensuring that when demand surged, production was already in motion to meet our national security needs. This proactive approach eliminated bottlenecks and maximized efficiency from day one. Today, we’re delivering over 32 GARCs per month.
As China continues to build its fleet at an unprecedented pace, one thing remains clear for the future of U.S. economic and naval dominance: sustained, uninterrupted production of unmanned systems is the only way forward. Manufacturing lines cannot stop and start in response to demand. Pausing production leads to inefficiencies, supply chain breakdowns, and increased costs. A steady pipeline of autonomous systems ensures the fleet has what it needs, when it needs it — which, if Ukraine is any indication, includes large numbers of USVs ready to fight.
The power of USVs isn’t in a single vessel. One unmanned vessel can scout or strike. A coordinated fleet can overwhelm defenses, extend reach, and shift the balance in contested waters. That’s the future the Navy needs to prepare for. And that future depends on whether we can build these systems by the dozens and hundreds, with the speed and consistency only industrial production can deliver. Warfighters are past the point of concepts — they need systems, delivered at scale and on time.
Fully operational and ready for deployment, GARCs roll off our production lines every month. The ability to build at speed, without interruption, is what will define the next era of naval warfare. The question isn’t whether industrial-scale production can be done. The question is whether you’re ready to scale with us.
Got Scale?
