Liberty Class
Gallery
Overview
Medium-sized unmanned surface vessel from Blue Water Autonomy designed for long-duration U.S. Navy missions with modular payload capacity and serial shipyard production.
Liberty Class is a military medium-sized unmanned surface vessel developed by Blue Water Autonomy in the United States for long-duration open-ocean naval operations. Blue Water describes Liberty as a ship-sized USV intended to endure 2-3 month missions, cross the Pacific independently, and carry modular payloads on a large working deck. The official Liberty page lists a 57.75 m length overall, 9.00 m beam, 770 t displacement, ABS Grade A steel structure, 25 kt speed, 10,000 nautical mile range, Level 4 autonomy with Marine AI, and payload capacity for four 40 ft containers. Blue Water's February 2026 launch material states that Liberty is based on Damen's Stan Patrol 6009 Axe Bow hull, adapted for autonomous operation through redesigned mechanical, electrical, propulsion, control, and fault-management systems. Construction was scheduled at Conrad Shipyard in Louisiana, with the first U.S. Navy vessel expected in 2026 and follow-on production aimed at 10 to 20 vessels per year.
Primary Roles
Notes
Blue Water Autonomy unveiled Liberty Class in February 2026 as its first vessel, a 190 ft / 57.75 m steel autonomous ship based on Damen's Stan Patrol 6009 Axe Bow hull. Official specifications list Level 4 autonomy, 25 kt speed, 10,000 nmi range, 770 t displacement, ABS Grade A steel construction, 9.00 m beam, and capacity for four 40 ft containers. Construction was scheduled to begin at Conrad Shipyard in March 2026, with the first U.S. Navy vessel expected later in 2026 and serial production targeted at 10-20 vessels per year.
