On Wednesday, February 11, 2026, the American company Blue Water Autonomy, together with the Dutch shipbuilder Damen Naval, unveiled the design of the medium-sized Liberty unmanned surface vessel, based on the hull of the Stan Patrol 6009 patrol vessel.
Image: Blue Water Autonomy
Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and Wilmington, Delaware, Blue Water Autonomy specializes in the design of autonomous maritime systems for military applications. Liberty is the first product developed in cooperation with Damen Naval. A prototype intended for testing by the U.S. Navy will be built at one of the five shipyards operated by Conrad Shipyard, with construction scheduled to begin in March of this year. The first vessel is expected to be delivered to the U.S. Navy later this year under the MASC (Modular Attack Surface Craft) program, originally announced in 2019 as MUSV (Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle) and restructured in 2025.
According to available information, Liberty will use a proven but redesigned Damen Stan Patrol 6009 hull constructed of ABS Grade A (normal-strength) steel and featuring a vertical Axe Bow. The vessel will measure 57.75 meters in length, 9 meters in beam, and have a displacement of 770 tons. It will be a fully unmanned and autonomous platform, utilizing Level 4 Autonomy & Marine AI navigation software developed by Blue Water Autonomy.
The vessel will be capable of carrying more than 150 tons of payload over a range of up to 10,000 nautical miles at speeds of up to 25 knots. It is designed to accommodate four standard 40-foot containers (FEU), each with a maximum weight of 36.3 metric tons, enabling it to carry missile systems, sensors, and logistical payloads. The ship will be capable of missions lasting two to three months and of independently crossing oceans.
“The Liberty class reflects our focus on building autonomous ships that are designed from the start for long-duration operations and repeat production,” said Rylan Hamilton, CEO of Blue Water Autonomy. “By adapting a proven hull and re-engineering it for unmanned operations, we’re delivering a vessel that can operate for extended periods without crew while being produced at a pace the Navy urgently needs. This is a modern take on an old idea: building capable ships quickly and at scale.”
Blue Water redesigned the hull from the ground up, starting with the engine room, through the mechanical and electrical systems, and up to the autonomous configuration of fault-tolerant propulsion systems. These design solutions enable automated control and fault management with limited human intervention during multi-month missions.
Source: Blue Water Autonomy
Blue Water Autonomy and Damen Naval identified a strong synergy between Damen’s proven hull design and Blue Water’s focus on high-endurance autonomous vessel technology. The Stan Patrol 6009 hull design has been implemented in numerous commercial and government programs and provides a well-established foundation for new applications. Damen supports the program through its Damen Technical Cooperation (DTC) licensing model, which the company applies in cooperation with partners and shipyards worldwide, including in the United States.
“The Axe Bow hull was designed for demanding operational requirements, from speed and range to seakeeping,” said Mark Honders, Design and License Manager at Damen. “Seeing the Stan Patrol 6009 adapted for autonomous operation underscores the flexibility of the design and demonstrates how proven commercial designs can serve new and emerging maritime missions.”
Liberty’s market introduction comes at a time when U.S. Navy leadership and the U.S. Department of Defense are urging defense contractors to privately develop key military technologies. Working with more than 100 world-class suppliers, such as Damen and Conrad Shipyard, Blue Water has developed Liberty entirely with approximately 64 million USD in private capital, an unprecedented approach for a full-scale naval vessel, though typical in commercial markets.
Blue Water vessels will be built at Conrad Shipyard in Louisiana, which operates five shipyards with a workforce of 1,100 and delivers more than 30 maritime vessels annually. Conrad employs advanced shipbuilding methods, including a highly automated panel line and modern welding techniques, enabling parallel construction and scalable production.
“Conrad has a long history of building complex vessels for both commercial and government customers,” said Cecil Hernandez, President and CEO of Conrad Shipyard. “We have the infrastructure, workforce, and production readiness to begin construction and support serial builds, helping translate advanced vessel designs into operational capacity.”
The name Liberty refers to the Liberty-class cargo ships of World War II, which were produced rapidly and at scale to meet urgent national needs, 2,710 ships were built between 1941 and 1945. Following delivery of the first vessel, Blue Water plans to launch serial production, ultimately targeting an output of 10 to 20 vessels per year. Construction of Liberty-class vessels will take place at Conrad Shipyard in Louisiana, which has previously produced Damen-designed hulls. The shipyard’s existing production capacity and workforce are being leveraged to increase manufacturing efficiency, along with its experience in delivering complex commercial and government vessels.
Introducing: Liberty Class
Today, we’re proud to announce our first vessel: the Liberty Class, a 190-foot autonomous ship.
In partnership with @damen, we’re delivering the next generation of naval capability with autonomous ships that are not only advanced, but reliable and… pic.twitter.com/ZarUsVEmu7
— Blue Water Autonomy (@BlueWaterShips) February 11, 2026