Magnet Defense announced a strategic partnership with Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA) to produce Medium Unmanned Surface Vessels (MUSVs) for the Pentagon. The partnership includes several potential projects, such as producing advanced 38-meter MUSVs.
Magnet Defense's flagship MUSV, the M48 has a range of 17,000 nautical miles, which the company said is the longest range of any MUSV at sea today. Its recent 32,000-nautical-mile voyage included passage through the Panama Canal and through Sea State 9 conditions to prove its stability and reliability in hazardous conditions.
"Hanwha's advanced missile systems, coupled with Magnet Defense's designed and built MUSVs, make for a powerful combination," said Magnet Defense co-founder and CEO Marc Bell in a statement. "Our ability to project force globally by working together in quick response to America's Armed Forces needs is critical in today's ever-changing environment."
"Our autonomy stack was built for contested, real-world conditions, not lab environments," said Magnet Defense co-founder and CTO George Wallner in a statement. "What makes this partnership powerful is the ability to pair that real-life proven intelligence and design with advanced manufacturing and robotics."
Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed at the 2026 Sea-Air-Space Exposition, the companies will jointly build a 38-meter MUSV, configure the vessel's capabilities, develop AI-driven robotic shipyards of the future and collaborate on advanced AI software to improve autonomy.
