Three employees from BlackSea Technologies, a maritime support contractor for the Department of Defense, rushed to assist victims of a deadly boating accident in Biscayne Bay after hearing a mayday call. The men arrived to find an unmanned vessel circling and two people in the water, one critically injured and one unresponsive. Drawing on their training, they pulled the survivor aboard and applied lifesaving measures until emergency crews arrived. While the incident remains under investigation, the responders say they were simply in the right place at the right time, underscoring the professionalism and readiness that defines their maritime work.

A new report says the U.S. is using high‑speed drone boats to patrol Middle East waters as tensions with Iran escalate. The uncrewed vessels, called Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft, have already logged hundreds of hours at sea during Operation Epic Fury. Their deployment comes as Iran continues to disrupt traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. weighs additional military options. The Navy has been expanding its use of unmanned systems in the region, and these craft can carry significant payloads while supporting surveillance and strike missions.

BlackSea’ Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft was featured in February 2026’s Proceedings on Innovation for Sea Power.

The U.S. Navy is accelerating deployment of uncrewed surface fleets after lessons from Ukraine and rising competition with China. Manufacturers, like BlackSea Technologies, are responding with scalable, modular USV platforms designed for rapid production and operational use.

BlackSea Technologies marked the start of construction on its NightTrain autonomous logistics vessel with a formal keel-laying ceremony. Designed to deliver containerized cargo to forward forces in contested areas, NightTrain supports distributed maritime operations while reducing risk to personnel.

N. Charleston, SC (December 11, 2025) - Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic hosted Lt. Gen. Eric Austin, Deputy Commandant for Combat Development & Integration and Commanding General of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Dec. 11. NIWC’s Expeditionary Warfare (ExW) Department Head Ashlee Landreth and the ExW team provided demonstrations of some of the systems NIWC Atlantic has been integrating on the Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC) for the Marine Corps, showcasing the important work being done. (U.S. Navy photo by Joe Bullinger/Released).

Members of the BlackSea Technologies team joined the Sing Second podcast during Army–Navy Week for a wide-ranging conversation on autonomy, naval leadership, and the future of maritime operations. U.S. Naval Academy alumni Donald Bouchard (Class of 1986) and Jason Salata (Class of 1994) shared insights on how unmanned surface systems are moving from concept to operational reality, why early exposure to these technologies matters for future officers, and what they observed while engaging with midshipmen during the HURT-X exercise in Annapolis. The discussion highlights how today’s midshipmen are already preparing for an increasingly autonomous naval environment.

Baltimore Banner: A Baltimore company churned out drone boats ready for war

On the same South Baltimore waterfront where Liberty ships once defined wartime production, BlackSea Technologies is building the next generation of naval power. The company’s Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC) are diesel-powered unmanned vessels capable of long-range operations, representing a new frontier in maritime warfare and U.S. industrial resurgence.

The U.S. Navy deployed Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC) and other unmanned systems in NATO’s Dynamic Messenger and UNITAS 2025 exercises across the North Atlantic. Operating from Portugal and the U.S. East Coast, the 16-foot USVs trained alongside allied forces to counter drone swarms, protect infrastructure, and refine tactics for the Navy’s emerging hybrid fleet.