US' new unmanned attack boat to offer 67,000-pound payload capacity

The US Navy is developing a new unmanned Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC) by BlackSea Technologies, designed from the keel up as a 66-foot aluminum catamaran with a payload capacity exceeding 67,000 pounds—double that of comparable vessels. Powered by dual Volvo Penta D8-IPS600 integrated propulsion units, the vessel offers a 3,000 nautical mile range at 10 knots and an extended self-deploying range of 10,000 nautical miles. Its design emphasizes modularity and operational flexibility, supporting seven mission profiles including Anti-Submarine Warfare, Anti-Surface Warfare, Electronic Warfare/ISR, Logistics, Infrastructure Monitoring, Strike, and Mine Warfare. BlackSea’s MASC leverages proven autonomy systems and production methods from its Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC) line, enabling rapid manufacturing at its Baltimore facility with a target of one craft per day. The vessel’s open architecture is built on the Navy’s Unmanned Maritime Autonomy