Florida-based Intrepid Powerboats is to enter the defence sector with a manufacturing partnership with Maritime Tactical Systems (MARTAC), provider of high-performance autonomous unmanned surface vessels (USVs).
The collaboration will provide MARTAC with the facilities to scale production of its Devil Ray USV platforms to between 200 and 300 vessels a year, meeting increasing demand from US government, allied-nation and commercial customers.
Under the partnership, Intrepid Powerboats will apply its production capacity, marine workforce and high-performance hull manufacturing expertise to the construction of MARTAC USV platforms.
The arrangement enables MARTAC to rapidly expand output without heavy capital investment and the lead time that building dedicated new production facilities would otherwise require.
Accelerate quality production
“This partnership shows how quickly we can scale when we tap into the talent and capacity that already exists in Florida’s marine manufacturing sector,” explained Tony Smeraglinolo, chief executive officer of MARTAC.
“Working with a builder of Intrepid’s caliber enables us to rapidly accelerate quality production without the lengthy process of standing up new plants.
“It is the right model for a moment when demand for autonomous maritime systems is growing faster than the traditional defence industrial base can respond.”
“Intrepid has spent more than four decades building some of the most capable boats on the water, right here in Florida,” said Terry McNew, president of Intrepid Powerboats.
“Partnering with MARTAC lets us put that craftsmanship and capacity to work supporting national security and the broader unmanned maritime mission.
“It’s a natural extension of what our team does best.”
Florida’s boatbuilding strengths
Seamus Flatley, MARTAC’s chief growth officer, continued: “Our customers don’t just need a capable platform, they need confidence that we can deliver at scale, on schedule.
“This partnership is how we answer that. We’re turning Florida’s boatbuilding strength into a strategic advantage for customers at home and abroad.”
The partnership follows on from a co-production agreement between MARTAC and Mystic Power boats to increase MARTAC’s domestic production capacity.
The distributed production model will strengthen MARTAC’s ability to meet operational demand by increasing surge capacity, diversifying the supply chain and accelerating delivery timelines.
