The expansion follows a sharp rise in the startup’s profile after U.S. forces used its unmanned boats in the Iran conflict, including a rescue off Oman last month and a strike on an Iranian naval site this week.
Saronic plans to build both naval and commercial ships, extending beyond the drone boats it has marketed as faster to develop than products from larger defense contractors.
The project also tests a broader U.S. push to rebuild domestic shipbuilding, an industry now dominated by China, Japan and South Korea and likely requiring billions in private and government backing.