Sealartec Wins Coast Guard Contract to Test ALR-S Recovery System

Israeli maritime technology company Sealartec has been awarded a US Coast Guard contract under the Foreign Comparative Testing Program to supply its ALR-S autonomous launch-and-recovery system for evaluation. A complete system will be installed and assessed aboard a Legend-class National Security Cutter, the Coast Guard's largest and most advanced patrol cutter. The award moves the technology from a US Navy demonstration to structured testing on an operational cutter.

 

The Contract

 

Under the contract, Sealartec will provide a full ALR-S system for installation, testing, and operational assessment. Legend-class cutters are frigate-sized ships that launch and recover small boats from a stern ramp while underway. That makes them a demanding test platform for automated recovery technology. The evaluation will gather data on how the system performs in real Coast Guard operations.

The contract is for testing, not a fleet-wide purchase. It establishes a formal evaluation process to determine whether the technology meets the Coast Guard’s needs. The results could inform future procurement decisions. For Sealartec, it is a chance to prove its system in an operational US environment.

 

From Navy Demonstration to Coast Guard Testing

 

The Coast Guard evaluation builds on a June 2025 demonstration aboard Stiletto, the US Navy’s experimental maritime test platform, in Norfolk, Virginia. In that demonstration, the system autonomously controlled the capture and recovery sequence once a small boat approached the vessel’s stern and matched its speed. Coast Guard personnel took part in the trial. That experience helped pave the way for the new contract.

Moving from a rapid prototyping platform to an operational cutter is a significant step. Stiletto is designed for experimentation, while National Security Cutters carry out real missions in demanding sea conditions. Testing on a frontline cutter will show how the system performs during routine operations, not just in a controlled demonstration. Success there would strengthen the case for wider adoption.

 

Solving a Hazardous Operation

Navies and coast guards widely use stern-ramp launches and recoveries, but recovering a small boat onto a moving ship becomes harder as seas rise. Relative motion between the boat and the host vessel can create high impact loads and expose crews to injury. These risks limit the conditions in which recovery can be done safely. In rough weather, missions can be delayed or canceled because boats cannot be retrieved. safely

ALR-S is designed to automate the recovery with minimal operator input. By guiding and controlling how the boat meets the stern ramp, it aims to reduce impact loads, lower the risk of damage and injury, and widen the range of sea conditions in which recovery is possible. Sealartec has previously said its stern-ramp system can operate in conditions up to Sea State 6. Expanding that operating window would give commanders more flexibility to use their boats.

 

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Crewed and Uncrewed Operations

 

Autonomous launch and recovery is essential for uncrewed vessels. A vessel cannot operate fully autonomously if people still have to handle lines or manage every launch and recovery. Sealartec’s systems are already integrated with MARTAC’s MANTAS uncrewed surface vessels. As navies expand their uncrewed fleets, demand for automated handling systems is growing.

The same technology can also improve recovery of crewed boats. Automating the most dangerous part of the maneuver can make operations safer and more consistent while reducing the workload on boat crews. Sealartec Co-Founder and Chief Executive Amitai Peleg said stern-ramp systems are widely used, but all face the challenge of safe recovery as sea states rise. He said autonomous recovery is essential for uncrewed systems and can also significantly improve crewed operations 

 

The Foreign Comparative Testing Program

 

The Office of the Under Secretary manages the Foreign Comparative Testing Program for Research and Engineering. It evaluates mature equipment developed by allied nations to meet US military requirements quickly and affordably. Using proven foreign technology can save time and reduce the cost of developing new systems from scratch. Selection gives Sealartec a formal path to have ALR-S assessed against a defined Coast Guard need.

The award reflects a broader push to automate launch and recovery across allied navies and coast guards. Other companies, including Fairbanks Morse Defense with its AutoHook system, are developing competing technologies for similar roles. Proven performance in sea trials will be a key differentiator in this emerging market. The Coast Guard evaluation will give Sealartec valuable evidence as it competes for future contracts.