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from https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/04/u-s-marine-corps-trials-unmanned-logistics-concepts-in-the-indo-pacific/

Deeply ingrained into my Marine Corps soul is the memory of
the Marines that landed on Guadalcanal, then had the navy
transport ships sail away before unloading over half their
artillery and most of their supplies.
I also deeply remember a Staff Sergeant describe the
helpless feeling he had laying on a Cuban beach, while
all the ships sailed away (Jerk shit JFK said yes, then
chickened out and pulled the plug!!).

Home » U.S. Marine Corps Trials Unmanned Logistics Concepts in the Indo-Pacific

GE Aerospace
U.S. Marine Corps Trials Unmanned Logistics Concepts in the Indo-Pacific Published on 25/04/2025
By Carter Johnston

The U.S. Marine Corps has deployed unmanned surface vessels (USV) to
Japan as part of a larger push to bring unmanned logistics systems to
the Indo-Pacific. The USVs, developed by Leidos, are capable of
supplying distributed forces in contested environments by leveraging a
design similar to narco-subs.

Naval News had the opportunity to break down exactly what the USVs are
offering during an exclusive interview with Jeff Holmes of Leidos at the
Navy League’s Sea Air Space 2025 conference in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

Leidos had two USVs on display on the show floor. The Autonomous
Low-Profile Vessel (ALPV), also known as Sea Specter, and the Small
Unmanned Surface Vehicle (SUAV), also known as Sea Archer, an internally developed USV designed for high speeds. Both are being offered as
logistics platforms for contested environments, taking two opposite
approaches to maneuvering under fire.


Both USVs on display at Sea Air Space 2025. Screen capture from Naval
News interview. The Sea Archer is shown in the foreground, with Sea
Specter in the background. Both vessels have low observable features.
According to Holmes, the Sea Specter is a ‘low and slow’ vessel. It is designed from the ground up to be difficult to spot both visually and on
radar. Sea Specter can make a trip from Guam to anywhere in the first
island chain on one tank of gas. Sea Archer, on the other hand, is a
high speed vessel that can sit higher up on the water. Leidos is still
working to integrate full autonomy onto Sea Archer, with demonstrations expected this year.

“Sea Specter is designed for contested logistics. It’s specifically developed to be hard to see. You hide in plain sight.”

Jeff Holmes, Leidos
Both USVs are in late stage trials, with the Sea Specter (AUSV) in early operational use with the U.S. Marine Corps in the Indo-Pacific. There
are two AUSVs deployed in the U.S. Marine Corps today, one in the
Pacific and one in the Atlantic. Holmes emphasized the utility of both
AUSVs during the interview.


A Sea Archer / AUSV in sea trials. Screen capture from video provided to
Naval News by Leidos.
“The [AUSV] was so easy to use, [the Marines] taught a cook how to
operate it in 24 hours. The Marines are very pleased with it.”

Jeff Holmes, Leidos
The smaller and faster platform, Sea Archer, has completed all builder’s trials and is now in late stage testing of autonomous systems. According
to Holmes, Leidos is interested in adding mission modules to add
lethality to each USV. Testing of an enhanced lethality payload on the
Sea Archer is planned for this summer.

“There’s an awful lot we can do with different mission systems. We’re looking to integrate some of those payloads onto the vessel this summer
for demonstrations.”

Jeff Holmes, Leidos
Current Status of Deployed AUSVs
One prototype AUSV, ’65LP2202′, has been in testing since January 2024
when it sailed from Norfolk, Virginia to San Diego, California for
preliminary testing. Combat Logistics Battalion 12, 3d Marine Logistics
Group, based in California, received training on the system in June of
the same year, prior to its transfer to Japan.


An Autonomous Low-Profile Vessel is offloaded from the HOS Resolution, a
Stern Landing Vessel at the Naha Port Facility, Okinawa, Japan, Oct. 8,
2024. The ALPV will be testing the ability to deliver various supplies
and equipment to Marines in contested areas, allowing Marines to be more sustainable, resilient and survivable. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff
Sgt. Megan Roses)
It was delivered to Okinawa-based Combat Logistics Battalion 31 of the
31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in October 2024. The 12th Littoral
Logistics Battalion received familiarization training on the vessel in
January 2025. The first operational tests of the AUSV were conducted in
early April.


U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine
Expeditionary Unit, transfer cargo onto a Join Light Tactical Vehicle
utilizing the Autonomous Low-Profile Vessel at Kin Red Training Area,
Okinawa, Japan, Apr. 9, 2025. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl.
Skilah Sanchez)
Another prototype AUSV, ’65LP2201′, was first used in familiarization training at Camp Lejeune in April with 2nd Distribution Support
Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group.

A third prototype is set to be delivered by the end of the month,
according to Holmes.

Tags
USMC, USV
Picture of Carter Johnston
Carter Johnston
Carter Johnston a freshman at George Washington University's Elliott
School for International Affairs in the Class of 2028. He is based in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, Illinois. His interests include shipyard infrastructure in the United States, ongoing modernization efforts of
the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, and the politics that lead to their
success domestically and globally.

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