Stiletto, A Platform for Maritime Innovation

Stiletto, A Platform for Maritime Innovation

By Travis Troller, NSWC Carderock Division Public Affairs

On June 2, 2025, Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division's Joint Prototyping and Experimentation Maritime (JPEM) Stiletto Program demonstrated a new system for autonomously launching and recovering small boats in Norfolk, Virginia. The demonstration showcased a significant improvement over traditional methods of maritime small boat recovery.

"It's a program where we use the craft "Stiletto" to install and integrate technologies that may meet warfighter goals, gaps, or needs", said Dennis Danko, the Stiletto Program Manager.

As part of the JPEM program under Carderock's Combatant Craft Division (CCD), the Stiletto has been refining state-of-the-art systems and emerging requirements for over a decade. The vessel provides a realistic military platform in a maritime environment and features a design that fosters innovation with modularity, integration, and adaptability.

This demonstration was a result of a collaboration with the Israeli company SEALARTEC, which created the proprietary technology for the new launch and recovery system. Stiletto program officials met with the SEALARTEC team at a maritime symposium in Portsmouth, Virginia, about a year ago, and quickly identified the potential of their technology.

SEALARTEC's goal is to make launch and recovery of small-scale vessels more efficient, cost-effective, and safer for operators and crewmembers.

"What we are asking the driver to do is just come to the stern of the ship [and] match the speed, said SEALARTEC CEO Amatai Peleg. "We do all the rest. We are controlling the entire process. The capture is autonomous, and the activation of the capture is autonomous."

The potential for the technology was clear, and the gears were quickly set in motion to pursue the innovation.

The process of taking a conceptual idea and executing it in the real world can be time-consuming. However, the Stiletto program makes the process seamless. The team identified the need for technology, greenlighted agreements, completed the installation, and conducted demonstrations on the Stiletto in a matter of months.

"When we said that we want to work with the U.S. Navy, everyone told us it's not going to happen, Peleg said. "I don't imagine there is any other way we would have been able to engage and demonstrate this capability with the U.S. Navy if such a capability like the Stiletto didn't exist."

The ship's design is a key factor in the rapid maritime testing process. The vessel is equipped with a wide range of options for adaptability, integration, and data collection on a practical, real-world scale.

"Because of this modularity, the Stiletto will always stay up to date, because we are able to plug and play the most relevant technology and keep us ready for the future," said Scott Sampson, Senior Craft Design Manager for the CCD.

Everything on the Stiletto is interchangeable to maintain, modernize, and sustain innovative maritime platforms.

While the vessel allows for modular changes for project customization, other parts of the ship are in the process of receiving a permanent upgrade. The Stiletto team is making strides to automate the ship's propulsion systems to provide an additional tactical edge in the field.

The Stiletto program provides a unique, cost-effective, and efficient way to deliver combat systems to the warfighter at an accelerated rate, drastically improving delivery of critical needs for mission readiness.

"We're always looking for the next best thing, and we'll figure out a way to get it done," Danko said. "We'll get it on the boat, and we'll get it out on the water."