The Philippine Navy commissioned its first guided-missile frigate and showcased American-provided unmanned surface vessels at Naval Operating Base Subic during ceremonies commemorating the service’s 127th anniversary on Tuesday.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. commissioned BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06) at the service’s largest facility, Naval Operating Base Subic, during ceremonies commemorating the service’s 127th anniversary. The 3,200-ton frigate is the first warship in the Philippine Navy equipped with vertical launch systems and an active electronically scanned array radar. The warship’s 16 VL-MICA missiles, eight C-Star anti-ship cruise missiles and GOKDENIZ close-in weapons system make the frigate the most powerful Philippine surface combatant in service..

Manila received the vessel from South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries in April. Sistership BRP Diego Silang (FFG-07) is expected to deliver later this year. The Philippine military ordered both frigates in late 2021 under the second phase of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.

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The Navy-After-Next will be a “Hybrid Fleet.” This concept was first articulated by then-Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Gilday and embraced by his successor, Admiral Lisa Franchetti. The basics of this initiative were described in the Chief of Naval Operations Force Design 2045 which called for 350 crewed ships and 150 large uncrewed maritime vessels.

This innovative concept was born out of necessity. The concept of Hybrid Fleet evolved due the U.S. Navy’s ongoing challenge of building enough crewed ships to adequately meet the Navy’s global commitments. The Chief of Naval Operations Navigation Plan for America’s Warfighting Navy put it this way: “We cannot manifest a bigger traditional Navy in a few short years.” Indeed, the price of an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer has risen to $2.2B and production lead times stretch to years.

A December 2024 by the Department of the Navy Science and Technology Board entitled The Path Forward on Unmanned Systems, seeks to help accelerate the path to a Hybrid Fleet by offering a path forward to design, develop and field uncrewed systems—especially uncrewed maritime systems—in order to achieve the Navigation Plan’s goal of: “Scaling robotic and autonomous systems to integrate more platforms at speed.”

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Enforcing maritime border security is increasingly more important for the US and other nations. Combining powerful perception and AI based information gathering and analytical capabilities with AI driven maritime USVs provide more accurate and safer border enforcement that is available TODAY.

Melbourne, FL, 32934 / San Juan Capistrano, CA USA– May 20, 2025— Maritime Tactical Systems, Inc. (MARTAC), the worldwide leading developer and manufacturer of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and The Indoor Lab (TIL), a leader in LiDAR-based perception and real-time operational intelligence, today announced a strategic partnership to deliver the next-generation surveillance solution designed to enhance the ability of the U.S. Government and their worldwide partners to proactively protect and secure their borders.

This new solution combines the leading-edge capabilities from The Indoor Lab’s Overwatch™ Perception Platform with MARTAC’s AI driven high-performance autonomous USVs. This integrated solution will provide the US Government and its allies with advanced detection, tracking, and interdiction capabilities, making it easier for authorities to locate and monitor illegal crossings both on land and water before they occur.

MARTAC provides a variety of AI driven high performance USVs purposely designed with an open architecture for autonomous activation once threats are detected by The Indoor Lab’s Overwatch™ platform. Upon detection, MARTAC’s quick response unmanned maritime systems autonomously deploy to intercept, monitor, and transmit actionable intelligence back to command centers reducing response times and operational risk.

MARTAC Tactical Systems COO Matt Smith added, “Partnering with The Indoor Lab brings together two innovative surveillance technologies available today that redefine capabilities. Together, we are redefining border security by delivering unmatched situational awareness and operational flexibility for government agencies.”

“This partnership marks a significant advancement in securing our nation’s borders,” said Patrick Blattner, CEO of The Indoor Lab. “By combining Overwatch’s real-time behavioral detection with MARTAC’s high performance unmanned systems, we are delivering the next evolution of persistent, autonomous border surveillance — providing the U.S. government and their partners a proactive advantage against emerging threats.”

About MARTAC Tactical Systems

MARTAC Tactical Systems is the global leader in providing AI driven high-performance USV’s and AI driven UxV Fleet Management capabilities to commercial, military, homeland security, and government clients. MARTAC’s systems deliver persistent, real-time monitoring and force multiplication across complex maritime environments. MARTAC has real solutions available today to strengthen maritime security borders.

About The Indoor Lab

The Indoor Lab is a leading U.S.-based provider of LiDAR-powered perception software and AI-driven operational intelligence solutions. Its enterprise-grade Overwatch™ platform is trusted by airports, government agencies, and transportation hubs nationwide to deliver real-time security, safety, and operational insights.

For media inquiries and to learn more about MARTAC’s AI maritime solutions, please contact:

[email protected]

martacsystems.com

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For media inquiries, please contact:

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[email protected]

www.theindoorlab.com

SOF WEEK — Just days after Ukraine claimed to have shot down two Russian Su-30 jets with air-to-air missiles launched from an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) in the Black Sea, a US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) official said they’ve seen interest in such a “marsupial” capability.

Speaking at the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida on May 6, an official from USSOCOM’s Program Executive Office-Maritime (PEO-M) confirmed there is interest in pursuing USVs capable of carrying a variety of kinetic and non-kinetic effects.

To date, the PEO-M has only worked on efforts to launch loitering munitions from crewed combatant craft as part of the Maritime Precision Engagement (MPE) concept. But the official, who requested anonymity for security reasons, suggested a marsupial capability could include the launch of surface-to-air missiles or uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) from USVs. (“Marsupial” refers to the combination of, in this case, an unmanned surface vessel and additional unmanned aerial, surface or underwater vehicles, similar to marsupials who carry their young in a pouch.)

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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth pledged anti-ship missile deployments, increased military training and defense industrial base cooperation to the Philippines under steps to “re-establish” deterrence in the Indo-Pacific alongside Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro today in Manila.

“We agreed on the next steps to re-establish – and that’s key – re-establish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region,” Hegseth announced.

Hegseth touched down in Manila on Thursday in his first trip to a foreign partner in the region. This visit preceded other U.S. treaty allies in Asia, such as Japan, South Korea and Australia, a fact that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other officials noted as a demonstration of Washington’s commitment to Manila.

“Your visit to the region, and especially the fact that you’ve come to the Philippines as your first stop, is a very strong indication and sends a very strong message to the commitment of both our countries to continue to work together to maintain the peace in the Indo-Pacific region within in the South China Sea,” Marcos said to Hegseth during a meeting at Malacañang Palace.

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The new Autonomous Launch & Recovery Systems (ALARS) allows medium-sized USV to deploy and recover smaller USV, facilitating unmanned swarming missions.

Melbourne, FL— On 2/24/2025, Maritime Tactical Systems, Inc. (MARTAC), an innovator in Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs), along with Sealartec, Inc. (Sealartec), an innovator in Autonomous Launch & Recovery Systems (ALARS), is proud to unveil a fully Autonomous Launch & Recovery System, whereby MARTAC’s MANTAS T8 (2.5 m) and T12 (3.6 m) Systems can be autonomously launched and recovered from MARTAC’s Devil Ray T38 (11 m) System.  It is widely recognized that the ability to autonomously launch and recover USVs is a critical factor in facilitating swarming missions and harnessing the full potential of unmanned systems in the marine domain.  Achieving this in relevant sea conditions with minimal reliance on human intervention, while ensuring speed and repeatability, is essential.

The ALARS capability allows for the autonomous launch and recovery of MARTAC’s USVs in up to sea state four and is deliverable as an add-on system requiring minimal modifications to the Devil Ray USVs.  Fully integrated within the Devil Ray main control system, the ALARS operates through Sealartec’s advanced Local Positioning System (LPS), which accurately identifies the MANTAS T12’s position during recovery. This enables precise and efficient capture, followed by automated loading and securing of the MANTAS T12 onto the Devil Ray T38, allowing the Devil Ray T38 to resume its mission at unmatched speeds.  The ALARS is flexible with a modifiable cradle allowing for other UxV systems to be launched and recovered from Devil Rays.

Bruce Hanson, MARTAC’s CEO said “Launching this ALARS takes us a step closer to realizing the ability to deploy and autonomously operate USV fleets capable of performing complex missions over large areas.  In general, UxVs represent high value payloads because they expand mission possibilities and endurance.  Early when we discussed missions with end-users, we recognized the value in autonomously launching the MANTAS from our Devil Rays as a force multiplier in support of integrated manned and unmanned operations.  Combining this ALARS capability with our Advanced AI Autonomy allow us to deploy USVs at scale to perform fully autonomous missions hundred or even thousands of miles away from personnel.  It is truly autonomous. This ALARS is available now and MARTAC and Sealartac are building out our capacity to scale for 2025.”

Amitai Peleg, Sealartec’s CEO said, “We are the leader in the ALARS market and this cutting-edge solution underscores Sealartec’s commitment to redefining operational efficiency and autonomy in the maritime domain.  As the USV market continues to grow, we see these ALARSs as essential in continued adoption and gaining user trust in USVs.”

MARTAC’s USV Solutions are truly turnkey NOW to address customers’ missions and use cases.

To see a short video of the ALARS in action, please visit our YouTube channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/@maritimetacticalsystemsinc9658

Maritime Tactical Systems Inc. (MARTAC) is the worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) Solutions.  MARTAC has a proven track record with thousands of hours operating worldwide and is the solution to your maritime mission needs.

Sealartec Inc. (Sealartec) is the worldwide leader in Autonomous Launch & Recovery Systems.  ALARS are critical to unlocking the future of marine autonomous systems.  Sealartec continuously invests in ALARS research and development creating real operational systems that can recover any unmanned or manned vehicle to its hosting platform in the most demanding sea state environment.

The U.S. Marine Corps has spent more than 75 years honing the ability to assault a heavily defended beach, beginning with the famed island-hopping campaigns in the Pacific during World War II. In that time, the service has updated its tactics, techniques, and procedures and embraced new technology to maximize the success of these assaults and minimize the loss of sailors and Marines.

Far less attention has been paid to what happens after the initial assault. Enabling Marines to move beyond the beach depends on the assaulting force being able to provide continuous contested-logistics support. Unlike armies in a land campaign, during which various vehicles can provide this support, the expeditionary strike group’s ships must deliver everything Marines need to sustain the fight. Until the Marine Corps can devise a way to do so without unsustainable losses, the assaulting force will never have the weapons, fuel, food, and gear it needs to move inland. Autonomous surface vessels could provide a solution.

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