BlackSea, formed from MAPC, Hard Yards, and other acquisitions, builds the Navy’s low‑cost GARC drones at a repurposed Liberty shipyard. With venture backing, the company now delivers more than 30 boats per month.
BALTIMORE — BlackSea Technologies is scaling what could be the Pentagon’s most prolific class of unmanned surface vessels from a historic waterfront just south of downtown. Formed in 2022 through a series of acquisitions that folded Maritime Applied Physics Corp., software integrator Hard Yards, logistics firm Blue Tide Marine, and electronics shop Lakenheath into a single platform, the private, venture‑backed company now has 157 employees and a portfolio aimed at giving U.S. forces an edge in contested seas.
Legacy and structure
BlackSea traces its lineage to MAPC, a Baltimore engineering firm founded in 1986 that specialized in hydrofoils, small waterplane area twin hulls, and other unconventional hull forms. When Razor’s Edge Ventures created BlackSea in 2022, MAPC’s hands‑on boatbuilders were joined by Hard Yards’ digital strategy specialists, Blue Tide’s veteran operators, and Lakenheath’s flight‑hardware engineers. The combined enterprise operates from the former Bethlehem‑Fairfield shipyard, where 508 Liberty ships were launched during World War II.
GARC and other products
The company’s flagship product is the Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft. At 16 feet long, the low‑profile aluminum boat carries a 200‑horsepower engine, can exceed 40 knots, and hauls up to a 1,000‑pound payload. Modularity allows the craft to host sensors, electronic warfare pods, surface‑warfare kits, anti‑submarine payloads, and mine countermeasure systems. BlackSea says GARCs have accumulated more than 5,000 operational hours in seas up to 15 feet and can be produced at a rate of 30 vessels per month. The firm also builds the 162‑foot Oceanus VI mission support vessel, which has a shallow draft, 30,000‑pound payload capacity, and a crane for offshore logistics.
Manufacturing and investment
BlackSea’s production line sits in a repurposed Liberty‑ship factory in Baltimore. Navy officials aim to boost procurement of GARCs to 32 units per month, and Rear Adm. Kevin Smith told DefenseScoop in January that the program is “ramping up” toward that target. The Pentagon has obligated more than $160 million for the system, and the core contract—issued to MAPC and now controlled by BlackSea—could be worth up to $212 million. According to PitchBook’s public data, BlackSea is a privately held, venture‑capital‑backed company founded in 2022 with 157 employees; Razor’s Edge Ventures is its lead investor. The venture firm announced that it formed BlackSea to “enable new asymmetric strategies” and deliver autonomous, electronic‑warfare, and hypersonic systems for the U.S. military.
Operations and validation
The Navy has been using GARCs in live experiments and operations. During Operation Southern Spear, BlackSea provided both GARCs and the Oceanus VI to support U.S. 4th Fleet experiments with robotic vessels in the Caribbean. At the BALTOPS 25 exercise in June, Task Force 66 operated at least 10 GARCs and found the craft maintained full mission‑capable status while sailing more than 120 nautical miles per day. Rear Adm. Michael Mattis, head of the task force, said the Navy is evaluating a range of commercial systems but has already “greenlit” the GARC as part of the Replicator initiative. BlackSea also trains Navy operators and was named an initial certified training provider for the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International’s new Trusted UMS Operator program.
Financial outlook and risks
With the Pentagon seeking to field thousands of low‑cost drones, BlackSea is well-positioned. The Navy’s leadership wants to deploy small, attritable vessels to impose costs on adversaries, and Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks’ Replicator program could channel more funding toward companies like BlackSea. However, GARC is not yet a formal program of record (but it is supported by a program office and in alignment with its customers effectively as a "record" system), and future orders depend on sustained demand and congressional support. Competitors such as the HavocAI Rampage and Seasats Lightfish are also vying for the Navy’s attention. To maintain its edge, BlackSea is developing a second‑generation GARC, known as Block 2, that will offer greater range and payload capacity.
Workforce and leadership
BlackSea employs engineers, veterans, and operators who build systems for the “people closest to the mission,” according to the company’s culture statement. Chris Devine serves as chief executive and told SOF Week attendees that the Baltimore factory now delivers more than 30 boats per month. The board includes national security veteran Mike Kushin, who joined in 2025 to help guide the company’s expansion into cybersecurity, electronic warfare, and space. Elizabeth Hines, the firm’s chief administrative officer, recently told investors that BlackSea is manufacturing hundreds of GARCs for the Defense Department and is rapidly scaling its workforce.
Outlook
Wall Street‑style investors view BlackSea as an early entrant in a potentially multibillion‑dollar market for attritable naval drones. Its consolidation of complementary companies, control of a high‑rate manufacturing facility, and backing from a national‑security venture fund give it an advantage. Yet, as with many defense startups, revenue depends on moving from experiments to sustained procurement. If the Navy formalizes the program and funding flows through Replicator, BlackSea could become the industry standard for small unmanned surface vessels. Should budgets tighten or priorities shift to competing platforms, the firm’s growth could slow. For now, BlackSea stands out as one of the few domestic builders delivering autonomous patrol craft at scale.
